Chinese gymnasts too young to compete, web documents show

[The Sushi Bandit]

Source: Current TV

Just last week, questions were raised about the ages of two of Yang’s teammates. The New York Times reported that online records listed the gymnasts, He Kexin and Jiang Yuyuan, as being too young for this Olympics, perhaps as young as 14.

A national registry of gymnasts, which had been blocked online but was viewable through Google cache, listed He’s birthday as Jan. 1, 1994. That date was also listed for her on a registration for an intercity competition in Chengdu, China.

Jiang was born on Oct. 1, 1993 and is not yet 15, according to a listing of junior competitors from the Zhejiang Province sports administration. The list of athletes included national identification card numbers into which birth dates are embedded. Chinese officials have produced passports showing that He and Jiang are 16, making them old enough to compete at the Games.



Read more: http://current.com/items/89214099_chinese_gymnasts_too_young_to_compete_web_documents_show

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Ya gotta raise a stink about this!!!!!

[provis99]

1. they're too young? They should get gold medals just for that!

Imagine children being able to beat adults at the Olympics! Oh, the horror! Won't someone please protect the poor adults??!!?!

[merwin]

3. It's not about that. It's about the fact that they cheated, lied about it,

and made the playing field uneven. I'm sure there's other countries with 14 year olds who are insanely talented.

[Deja Q]

8. What else is new?

China wanted to improve its image with the Olympics.

I think they only continued to solidify it. :(

[kirby]

5. Younger/smaller/lighter have an unfair advantage...

It is not a level playing field due to weight, fear, and body development.

Not to mention that is violated the rules. Lets hope the IOC strips the medals.

[LisaL]

14. Furthermore, some other countries could have had

girls who were younger than 16 and thus could not go, but were better than some of the older girls that were eligible to compete. Which again would bring an unfair advantage if the country send in the girls who are not at the age they are eligible to compete. Read about US figure skating championships here:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/2008-01-27-youngstars_N.htm
3 out of 4 girls at the top were not eligible to participate in the worlds. I don't think US won any medals at worlds. And then tell me it's no big deal what the age of the girl actually is. Even if you think the rule is stupid, the rule is there, so either it needs to be changed, or the girls younger than the eligible age should not compete to make it fair for everyone.

[LisaL]

10. You are being absurd.

It's the rules. US had female figure skaters scoring well in the US figure skating championships, but not old enough to compete in the world championships, so the girls who scored below but were older went to the worlds. US didn't claim those girls were old enough.

[Goblinmonger]

17. Plus, don't forget why this rule was put in place

This rule does not apply to all sports, but young girls in gymnastics were having their bodies horribly decimated all in the name of getting the gold so the 16 age limit was put in place to protect them. God forbid we actually expect countries to follow the rule and protect their young girls.

[tridim]

2. They will get a pass, just like McCross. nt

[HowHasItComeToThis]

4. HOW REPUBLICAN OF THEM

THEY HAVE MADE INQUIRIES ABOUT HIRING ROVE:think: :think: :think:

[Bob Dobbs]

6. Only losers whine about others' cheating.

Had we stuck our landings, we would have beaten them.

Election fraud is not a game, however, that is a crime.

[harmonicon]

7. duh

If they cheated and lost big, I don't think it would be a concern.

[LisaL]

11. What is a concern?

Does doping concern you? Maybe nobody would care about an athlete doping either if he/she came last. If those ladies are younger than 16, then, IMO, something needs to be done.

[The Sushi Bandit]

9. I guess they should have used boys then!

no one would have whined about that, right?

[LisaL]

12. Hah?

WTF is that supposed to mean? Maybe you missed it, but China has a men's team.
I am not sure why they made an age limit of 16, I don't think it used to be that way. But rules are rules, and if other countries can's send gymnasts younger than 16 to the Olympics, neither should China. Or make the age younger than 16 if you want those younger than 16 to compete. Otherwise it's not fair to anyone. US couldn't send the girl figure skating younger than 16 to the worlds, even though they scored better than some of the older girls.

[tkmorris]

13. Really? Say, you want to play some poker?

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

15. No wonder Bela Karolyi was blowing gaskets

left and right about this. He probably googled it himself.

[XOKCowboy]

16. To paraphrase Jon Stewart...

We should send them to the sweatshops with the other 14 yr olds. They could still be in athletics making athletic shoes for Americans

[Naturyl]

18. Can I say "DUH?"

The eyes do not lie about something like this and I knew immediately those girls were not 16. So did pretty much everyone I talked to about it. Nobody could understand how this fraud was happening right in front of our eyes.

[MiniMe]

19. China is the host country, so nothing will be done.

God forbid they embarass the host country.