14 Year Old Chinese Gymnast...

[TimBikes]

See link for the details discovered by this guy.

Apparently one (possibly more) of their gold medal girls is underage (no surprise).

Should we care or let it slide?

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

I'm a law and order kind of guy. I don't believe in rewarding cheating in any form.

To help the China save face, I say do any investigations after the party is over.

[EJFB1029]

Of course we should care, just like every other country at the Olympics, cheating is cheating, doesn't matter if drugs or underage.

[FL_Prius_Driver]

We should absolutely care. Not for the political and sports concerns, but for the life and well being of young girls. If China is willing to "own" the lives of 14 year old children, at what age do they not "own" them? The outcry should be motivated by this concern, not the "unfair" winning of medals.

[burritos]

Why don't they just reduce the age limit? Otherwise, being calling future female gold medalists the best gymnast in the world would be false.

[FL_Prius_Driver]

Originally Posted by burritos

Why don't they just reduce the age limit?

To what? 10, 8, 3, conception?

[efusco]

Originally Posted by FL_Prius_Driver

To what? 10, 8, 3, conception?

I think that's a fair question.
Is there any evidence that making the age limit 16 reduces the long term injuries or improves the lives/health of gymnasts? Is there any evidence that 14 year olds can be injured...there's nothing stopping them from training at 12, 13, 14 and younger...

I've got mixed feelings on the setting of an age limit. I have no mixed feelings about whether appropriate punishment should be given should this proof of cheating stand up...they clearly should withdraw the gold medals and invalidate their participation.

But I think some analysis of whether the rule is fair or not is in order for the next Olympics. There was a 14y/o in the diving that was doing very well last night.

[Boo]

I think the age restriction rule should be eliminated. It wasn't always there. There's no health reason for it. It was instituted as an arbitrary rule for Olympic competition purposes. The US women's gymnastics coach also thinks the rule should be eliminated.

But a rule is a rule, and cheating is cheating.

While I think it's possible that the three gymnasts in question are 16 or turning 16 this calendar year, they sure don't look it. And I'd bet my life savings that they aren't. I mean, what are the chances that you have the three youngest looking 16 year olds on the planet, and they're from the same country and are world class, Olympic gymnasts to boot?

[Godiva]

When you study ballet, you are forbidden to move on to toe shoes until you reach a certain age. This is so the bones in your feet have time to form and are not damaged.

I imagine the same is true for gymnastics. Training for the Olympics puts tremendous pressure on a young body. The younger the body, the more likely damage may occur which effects quality of life later. The age limit used to be younger. It was raised to 16 for a reason. It was for the protection of the athletes.

And it's called Women's gymnastics, not Girls gymnastics.

If you lower the age to 14, you'll have 10 and 12 year olds competing.

Bottom line is the Chinese GOVERNMENT cheated. Just because the Chinese Government aided and abetted the cheat by issuing valid passports is beside the point. The girls aren't 16. Will the Olympics committee do anything? No. They've passed it off to the FIG. Will the FIG do anything? No. They'll pass the buck back. And no one will want to "dishonor" their hosts by telling them their gymnasts are disqualified for being underage and they have to give back their medals. Even if they tried, the Chinese Government is in a position to legally forge any document necessary to prove the girls are 16. I suppose you could demand that the Chinese team are forbidden to take part in the 2012 games, but I doubt that will happen either.

So what's the point?

We all know they cheated. Just remember that. Forever. Whenever you're dealing with the Chinese GOVERNMENT.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Godiva

We all know they cheated. Just remember that. Forever. Whenever you're dealing with the Chinese.

I think they cheated too. But your last sentence is rediculously racist.