China Gymnastics Underage?

[Dave Gray]

The big news is that China is being accused of cheating, and putting in girls on the Olympic team that are below the age limit.  The IOC is compiling evidence now.

What do you think?

[Brian Fein]

whether there are or aren't, I don't think they should take the kid's medal.  She won it fair and square regardless of her age.

[StL FinFan]

If they can prove they are underage (five of the six are being investigated), they should take their medals.  The girls were in on it too if they lied about their ages.  It is not winning fair and square if the rules were not followed.

[Dave Gray]

whether there are or aren't, I don't think they should take the kid's medal.  She won it fair and square regardless of her age.

If she's underage, ABSOLUTELY they should take her medal.

That's not even a question.  Those medals belong to the country as much as the individual.  China cannot blatantly cheat, nor should children be rewarded for cheating either.  What message does that send?

[Brian Fein]

if they're the best in the world what does it matter, regardless of their age?  Do gymnasts have an advantage gained by being 2 years younger than the other girl?

[StL FinFan]

if they're the best in the world what does it matter, regardless of their age?  Do gymnasts have an advantage gained by being 2 years younger than the other girl?

Yes, that is why the rules were put into place.  It was worry over what that type of stress would do to such a young person.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

If they are underage, their medals should be taken and the Chinese gymnastics team should be banned from future Olympic competitions for a certain period of time, if not for life.  Additionally, China should never be allowed to host Olympic games again if they have done this.  If these girls are proven to be underage, it was a blatant disregard for the rules.   

[Brian Fein]

So, great, let's add more stress and mental anguish over being stripped of an Olympic medal...

[StL FinFan]

That what you get if you disregard the rules.  I will restate if they were lying about their ages, the girls had to be in on it too, so they knew they were cheating.  So any stress or mental anguish they would suffer would be because of their own actions.

[Brian Fein]

not really.  I'm sure they were recruited by the Chinese government and told to compete, and if they didn't they (or their family) would be imprisoned, etc.  So, after being removed from their parents and training for over a year, they went out and performed as they were asked, and it turns out that they were better than anyone else in the world.  They did what their government told them to do, so who's more at fault, the little girl or the Chinese government?

(For the record, I'm not advocating that the alleged "cheating" by the Chinese gymnasts is acceptable.  I'm merely stating that the punishment should be applied to the offending party, the people responsible (the Chinese government) and not to the individual gymnasts.)

[Dave Gray]

if they're the best in the world what does it matter, regardless of their age?  Do gymnasts have an advantage gained by being 2 years younger than the other girl?

Absolutely.  A matured female body is not capable of doing things that an underdeveloped body is.  That's why the rules are in place.

People get their medals taken away every year, for a variety of violations, and sometimes, probably by accident (testing for banned substances found in cold medicine or whatever...)  The Olympics is serious business.

I do, personally, think they're underage.  A bunch of info was found recently, where these girls signed up for tournaments as 13/14 year olds.  Unless that's just a huge type and coincidence, I imagine that it's probably cheating.  China will be extremely shamed if this is proved true.

[Jim Gray]

I understand why you might want to let the girl keep the medal.......she did win it after all.  But you can't have rules and then ignore them.   The medals need to be taken and the Chinese gymnastics team needs to be harshly punished.   No other country was allowed to compete with gymnasts under the age of 16.  

I think it may be difficult to prove the girls are underage.   They all have valid government documentation that shows them being 16 this year.  This includes government issued passports.  If they are able to prove the girls are underage, then it also proves Chinese officials falsified documents with the knowlegde of the gymnastics team, the girls and their families.  

Prove it, and I don't have much sympathy for the girls or anyone else involved.  By the way, this isn't the first time China has been caught doing this.  

[Brian Fein]

That's just it - I'm sure the girls didn't ask to participate un-lawfully.  I'm sure they were told to do it by their government.  Its not the girls' fault.

Its also not a matter of opinion.  Like Dave says "I think they're underage" - either they are or they aren't.  until someone proves they are underage, you have to assume they are not.

[stinkfish]

Cheating bastards.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

not really.  I'm sure they were recruited by the Chinese government and told to compete, and if they didn't they (or their family) would be imprisoned, etc.  So, after being removed from their parents and training for over a year, they went out and performed as they were asked, and it turns out that they were better than anyone else in the world.  They did what their government told them to do, so who's more at fault, the little girl or the Chinese government?

(For the record, I'm not advocating that the alleged "cheating" by the Chinese gymnasts is acceptable.  I'm merely stating that the punishment should be applied to the offending party, the people responsible (the Chinese government) and not to the individual gymnasts.)

Brian does have a point.  With a Communist government, you do as you're told or face stiff consequences.  Maybe these girls did lie about their age, but maybe, like Brian said, they did it under intimidation and threats of incarceration from their government.