Why has the scandal surrounding the Chinese women's gymnastics team not made national news!? There is evidence on the cache of a Chinese search engine database (though not on the database itself, meaning the evidence has recently been deleted) that some of the medal winners were underage. It isnt the first time this has happened in China. 8 years ago a women's team medal winner revealed on state tv that she was 14 on winning the medal. The age requirement is 16. Some of my chinese friends say they knew these two recent competetors were 14 (apparently relatively common knowledge in China), but were unaware of the rules themselves. The IOC and chinese team have no such excuse.
Some argue that it doesnt matter. An olympic gold is an olympic gold. In some ways far more impressive when you're only 14, but I would disagree. On two major points. Trust, and the girls' wellbeing.
The two gymnasts provided passport pages proving they were 16. If these have been faked, as is claimed, how far has China gone to deceive the international community? A blatent flouting of the rules by the host country is a terrible example to set, and begs questions about other aspects of the games. Where else have "beaurocratic oversights" slipped in? These girls didnt just materialise out of thin air, they have been going to competitions for years, and are well known. A great number of people in official places will have their real age on record, and have not spoken up. With the IOC unwillling to make a fuss, at least until the games are over, China has shown it can get away with the inexcusable. Surely the point of an olympic games is to come together in peace for 3 weeks and play by the rules and show off a country's best athletes? If age requirements can be "bent" by whoever has enough political power, where does that leave fair play?
The issue of the girls wellbeing should also not be forgotten. Putting a 14 year old's body through an olympic training schedule is risky. Physical and emotional pressure all adds up to stress that perhaps a 14 year old is not ready for. Of course, gymnasts have always been young, but at least by 16 they are mentally and occasionally physically better adapted for the rigours of the olympics. One of the girls claims to be 68lb, that is dangerously underweight for a 16 year old. Either she is not 16, or she needs to be in hospital.
I dont necessarily agree with the "strip them of their medal" cries. How would that affect a 14 year old? and to be honest i'm slightly worried the gymnasts would be made scapegoats if China was ever "outed" by the IOC. What prospects does an ex-olympic gymnast have after retiring (at about 18). Coaching. Thats about it.
Its the girls I feel sorry for in all this.
Some argue that it doesnt matter. An olympic gold is an olympic gold. In some ways far more impressive when you're only 14, but I would disagree. On two major points. Trust, and the girls' wellbeing.
The two gymnasts provided passport pages proving they were 16. If these have been faked, as is claimed, how far has China gone to deceive the international community? A blatent flouting of the rules by the host country is a terrible example to set, and begs questions about other aspects of the games. Where else have "beaurocratic oversights" slipped in? These girls didnt just materialise out of thin air, they have been going to competitions for years, and are well known. A great number of people in official places will have their real age on record, and have not spoken up. With the IOC unwillling to make a fuss, at least until the games are over, China has shown it can get away with the inexcusable. Surely the point of an olympic games is to come together in peace for 3 weeks and play by the rules and show off a country's best athletes? If age requirements can be "bent" by whoever has enough political power, where does that leave fair play?
The issue of the girls wellbeing should also not be forgotten. Putting a 14 year old's body through an olympic training schedule is risky. Physical and emotional pressure all adds up to stress that perhaps a 14 year old is not ready for. Of course, gymnasts have always been young, but at least by 16 they are mentally and occasionally physically better adapted for the rigours of the olympics. One of the girls claims to be 68lb, that is dangerously underweight for a 16 year old. Either she is not 16, or she needs to be in hospital.
I dont necessarily agree with the "strip them of their medal" cries. How would that affect a 14 year old? and to be honest i'm slightly worried the gymnasts would be made scapegoats if China was ever "outed" by the IOC. What prospects does an ex-olympic gymnast have after retiring (at about 18). Coaching. Thats about it.
Its the girls I feel sorry for in all this.
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I feel sorry for that Chinese hurdler, who was a genuine medal contender but was injured. But to save face the chinese team made him limp out there, 'warm up' and then pull out.
The guy looked geniunely distraught when he walked to the back.
Carrying the disappointment of all those fans on his back just because the Chinese didnt want to seem weak.
What fun ae dirty secrets you have to keep?