Kerry Lynch
Encyclopedia
Kerry Joel Lynch was an American
nordic combined
skier who competed from 1979 to 1987. He is best known for his doping
scandal at the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
in Oberstdorf
, West Germany
in which he and his coach Jim Page approved a plan to give Lynch an illegal transfusion
to increase his red blood cell
count. Lynch would finish second in the 15 km individual event behind Norway
's Torbjørn Løkken
, only to be stripped of his medal when he and Page confessed to the scandal. Lynch would serve a two-year suspension as a result. He is the only Nordic combined athlete to ever been stripped of a medal either in the Winter Olympics or in the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
. The United States
would not win a Nordic combined medal at the Nordic skiing World Championships until Johnny Spillane's
gold medal in the 7.5 km sprint event at Val di Fiemme
in 2003.
Despite his doping controversy Lynch competed in two Winter Olympics, earning his best finish of 13th at Sarajevo
in 1984
. He would also become only the second American to win anything at the Holmenkollen ski festival
when he won the Nordic combined event in 1983, fifteen years after John Bower
won the same event. Lynch's only other World Cup victory also took place in 1983 in a 15 km individual event in Austria
.
He also was three-time national champion in the Nordic combined event (1981, 1983, 1986).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
skier who competed from 1979 to 1987. He is best known for his doping
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
scandal at the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1987 took place 11–21 February 1987 in Oberstdorf, West Germany. Following the domination of the skating technique at the previous championships, the FIS introduced separate cross-country skiing races in the classical technique and the freestyle technique at...
in Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps.At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in which he and his coach Jim Page approved a plan to give Lynch an illegal transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
to increase his red blood cell
Blood cell
A blood cell, also called a hematocyte, is a cell normally found in blood. In mammals, these fall into three general categories:* red blood cells — Erythrocytes* white blood cells — Leukocytes* platelets — Thrombocytes...
count. Lynch would finish second in the 15 km individual event behind Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's Torbjørn Løkken
Torbjørn Løkken
Torbjørn Løkken is a Norwegian nordic combined skier who competed from 1985 to 1990. He won two medals at the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf with a gold in the 15 km individual and a silver in the 3 x 5 km team events.Løkken also competed at the 1988 Winter...
, only to be stripped of his medal when he and Page confessed to the scandal. Lynch would serve a two-year suspension as a result. He is the only Nordic combined athlete to ever been stripped of a medal either in the Winter Olympics or in the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
would not win a Nordic combined medal at the Nordic skiing World Championships until Johnny Spillane's
Johnny Spillane (skier)
Johnny Spillane is an American athlete who competes in nordic combined, a combination event consisting of ski jumping and cross country skiing. Spillane is a three-time Olympic silver medalist.-Early life:...
gold medal in the 7.5 km sprint event at Val di Fiemme
Val di Fiemme
thumb|300px|Location of the Fiemme Valley in [[Trentino]].thumb|300px|The [[Lagorai]] seen from [[Passo Lusia]].Fiemme Valley is a valley in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region in northern Italy located in the Dolomites mountain region....
in 2003.
Despite his doping controversy Lynch competed in two Winter Olympics, earning his best finish of 13th at Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
in 1984
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
. He would also become only the second American to win anything at the Holmenkollen ski festival
Holmenkollen ski festival
The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. It takes place in March and has been arranged every year since 1892, except for 1898 and during World War II...
when he won the Nordic combined event in 1983, fifteen years after John Bower
John Bower
John Bower was an American nordic combined skier who competed in the 1960s and later went on to become a coach of the American nordic skiing team for the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympic team...
won the same event. Lynch's only other World Cup victory also took place in 1983 in a 15 km individual event in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
He also was three-time national champion in the Nordic combined event (1981, 1983, 1986).