China Gymnastics Underage?

[CF DolFan]

Brian ... have you watched the Olypics? They have DQd several runners for stepping on a freaking line. I think for falsifying documents losing a medal is minimal.

[Brian Fein]

i have and i think that's stupid as well.

[StL FinFan]

If the IOC ran the NFL, the Patriots probably would have been stripped of their wins as well.

[TonyB0D]

If the IOC ran the NFL, the Patriots probably would have been stripped of their wins as well.

not really, the IOC is such a corrupt organization, it's amazing they even grew the balls to "investigate" china for this.  even tho it's been already proven these girls are underage, i'd bet the farm that it's just a mock investigation to quiet the public and nothing will come of it.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

If the IOC ran the NFL, the Patriots probably would have been stripped of their wins as well.

I was wondering how long this thread would stay on topic, before someone changed the subject to the Patriots. 

[StL FinFan]

^ I was not the first one to mention them.

[Brian Fein]

Yeah i brought it up as a counter point to support my argument.  Not to bash the Patriots.

[run_to_win]

I'm not sure I agree with snatching medals from 14 year old girls who were likely 'encouraged' to compete knowing that the very existance of their families could be hanging in the balance.  "Rules are rules" doesn't really apply when you're 14 and your family is at risk.

Conversely, China shouldn't be allowed to get away with this either. 

Add in the peculiar scoring and do the girls even deserve the medals?  The balance beam is one example (even though bronze "winner" Fei Cheng isn't one of the suspected underage competitors).  Anna Pavlova did not appear to wobble nearly as much yet was scored 5/100 of a point lower.

[SportsChick]

The scoring for the Chinese was way inflated. A vaulter fell and still managed the bronze

[StL FinFan]

^ Fell on her ass and still got the bronze.  That still pisses me off.

[SportsChick]

No kidding. It was pathetic to see the home country favoritism (or US hate, take your pick)

[Phishfan]

i have and i think that's stupid as well.

Why? The lanes are set up with specific distances and when you cut a curve short you lessen the distance. You have to have a line to set a boundary or each runner would just cut across lanes. I know it is a bit heartbreaking, but it part of the beauty of the sport as well. Would anyone belive a relay team should be allowed to drop the baton, but just keep running without it?

[Dave Gray]

Besides, the Patriots situation is COMPLETELY different.  First off, the violations came to light several YEARS later.  But more importantly, this isn't the NFL, it's the Olympics, and the social, economic, and political standing of entire nations are at stake.

[Brian Fein]

Group A breaks Rule A of Competition A and Punishment A for breaking Rule A is to have Reward A for Competition A revoked.

its your own formula.  Consistency.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Group A breaks Rule A of Competition A and Punishment A for breaking Rule A is to have Reward A for Competition A revoked.

its your own formula.  Consistency.

The Olympics disqualify competitors for every technical violation.  If the IOC ran football encroaching the neutral zone would result in forfeiting the game.  Just as stepping on the white line in a footrace results in you losing the race. 

The NFL does not reverse that results of games.  In games the standard punishment for breaking the rules is yardage, loss of downs or the other team getting a first down.

Other rule violations typically result in fines but other measures such as loss of draft picks among others are used.   

For example the Dolphins lost a draft pick because of tampering involving Don Shula.   The Patriots received an overly harsh punishment relative to the rule broken, within the framework of NFL punishments.  But the NFL does not work like the IOC otherwise the Miami Dolphins would have had to forfeit a season too.