China's Underage Gymnasts?
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
United States
August 12, 2008 5:05am CST
Ok ive heard this mentioned with the olympic coverage..that a couple of Chinas female gymnasts are 14 years old..instead of the minimum 16 yrs old to participate rule.
the IOC has "investigated" and claimed then of age according to their Visa's..however since China issued their Visa, they could put any age they want on it..and according to some gymnast officials (not part of IOC) the IOC doesnt have the power to require China provide their birth certificates. which is pretty stupid in my opinion.
dont get me wrong, i have nothing against those girls, they are amazing, they are talented and yes they deserve to compete in the olympics because they are that good. however, if any other country tried to pull this trick, China would be having a huge hissy fit.
so...my question is, does anybody have a link or know IF there has been anything further done about this? ARE they 14yrs old like some news stories are claiming?
4 responses
@Elixiress (3878)
•
12 Aug 08
Since when was there an age limit on the Olympics, or is it just the gymnastics. I know the Great Britain has a 13 year old person entered, I think it is for the diving and he is openly saying that he is 13 and he has been participating. Also I think it was in the gymnastics, it was announced that someone was 15 and if this is broadcasting on TV and they are still participating then it cannot be against the rules right?
1 person likes this
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
13 Aug 08
i know the age minimum for womens gymnastics used to be 14yrs old..like in the time of Nadia Comenici (sp?) and i know there are younger athletes in other sports..therefore with this "controversy" i had just assumed the 16yr age min. was for the gymnastics only.
ive also heard the NBC commentators saying, "thats all that can be done about it" when talking about how the IOC just looked at the girls China issued passports..so IF they are underage..China has gotten away with it.
@Elixiress (3878)
•
13 Aug 08
I have just found an article that says:
"BEIJING, December 3 -- The world gymnastics governing body, FIG, is pondering to set up an age limit of 16 for gymnasts competing in international matches after the Beijing Olympic Games."
So therefore I do not think that there is an age limit at the moment.
@drzeuss (130)
• United States
12 Aug 08
Here's what i know. Or at least pretend to know.
The sixteen year old minimum age requirement was put in place not by IOC but whatever body that governs gymnastics in 1996.
The participant must be or turn 16 by the end of the calendar year. So if the Chinese counts a kid's age by the exact moment of conception then i imagine it could be possible that the diminutive girls could turn sixteen this year.
i'm not doing the math, it's far too early in the morning for me.
As for the British diver he is now fourteen but as i said each event's governing body sets the age requirements.
For good bedtime reading look up the tragedies that have befallen some of our favourite former female teen gymnasts. (sarcasm)
1 person likes this
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
13 Aug 08
hmm...and the Chinese use a different calendar year than we do, dont they?
well that does make sense lol..but man if a couple of those girls dont look a day over 12!!
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I didn't get to see the Olympics,
but I did see news videos.
You're right those girls were not 16,
maybe 12 or 13, maybe even 14.
But, no way they were 16 years old!
Though I've heard people are considered
1 year old on the day they're born, in China.
That does not help us out any!
