Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And the government is helping them. The IOC needs to crack down on this. The teams should have to provide more documentation of age than merely a passport. Canada doesn't want to make waves ... but Bela Karolyi sure does!
Canada comes to defence of tiny, too-perfect gymnasts (http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/beijing-games/story.html?id=715967 - broken link)
I know what you mean. I was shocked when I watched them on TV last night. I only watch sports once every 4 years during the Olympics event, so I thought the age rule for gymnasts must be really low. But goodness gracious!! They are babies!
Many people (not just teens) from East/Southeast Asia look younger than they are. But seriously! Jumping to conclusions based on passport photos? When I applied for passport at 12, I was still using photos when I was 10 (wasn't wearing glasses then). Even in my late 20's, I was still asked to show ID because I look like a teen. Even waiters refused to serve me wine!
They are ways to determine their real age, and I'm sure the IOC has already taken care of that.
Again, gymnasts - especially females - do look like babies (short, petite, babyface). Not just the ones from China.
they do look very very young! The issue is too though, that for 3 of them, in previous competitions during the last couple of years, they have all 3 been listed IN the competition as being 12-14yrs old. If you go by both the previously listed ages for those meets, plus what the newspapers in their country have been reporting during these last few years, AND the internet biographies (that have been mysteriously either removed, or changed) the three girls are 13, 14, and 15. The rest, SHOULD be of age.....one of the girls, she has been listed as being 15 for the last 3 yrs, INCLUDING this year, then suddenly, for the Olympics, her birthyear took a jump, making her 16now. Hummmmm....
The IOC went on bone wrist scans and passports, the first of which is totally unreliable, the second, easily faked.
IMO, the three in question ARE younger than 16. and i think its sad and wrong to have them in this situation, just to win. So much pressure on a little one.
Tiffany
they do look very very young! The issue is too though, that for 3 of them, in previous competitions during the last couple of years, they have all 3 been listed IN the competition as being 12-14yrs old. If you go by both the previously listed ages for those meets, plus what the newspapers in their country have been reporting during these last few years, AND the internet biographies (that have been mysteriously either removed, or changed) the three girls are 13, 14, and 15. The rest, SHOULD be of age.....one of the girls, she has been listed as being 15 for the last 3 yrs, INCLUDING this year, then suddenly, for the Olympics, her birthyear took a jump, making her 16now. Hummmmm....
The IOC went on bone wrist scans and passports, the first of which is totally unreliable, the second, easily faked.
IMO, the three in question ARE younger than 16. and i think its sad and wrong to have them in this situation, just to win. So much pressure on a little one.
Tiffany
YES, I'm not jumping to conclusions folks. These girls are being treated like Dominican little leaguers (remember that scandal???) The IOC isn't going to touch it because they don't want any controversy, but it's still pathetic
I've heard only a little about this. Is there now a rule about minimum age for gymnasts? If so, does anyone know the reason for this? Is it so that young children are not exploited by being on a strict training regimen? Also, if there is such a rule in place now, does anyone know how long this has been the case? I'm just curious, because I believe that there has not always been this rule. If I recall correctly, Dominique Moceanu was 14 during the '96 Olympics.
and yea, it used to be open for any ages,(Luigina Giavotti was 11 years and the youngest female to medal in olympic gymnastics) but first, they upped it to 15, then to 16 (where it is now.) so they have to be 16 in the Olympic year. Either this year, or last year, was the start of the 16yr old, the olympics before was the 15.
anyhow, they put it in place for a few reasons. Mostly, because since they have changed the code of points, the skills and the AMOUNT of difficult skills these kids are doing are getting harder and harder. They want the girls to have more time to be fully prepared for this. And that way less people are pushing the littles ones so hard so early. Otherwise, what you get, is a little girl that peaks at 13yrs old, and regardless of Olympics, then what? Very very few can handle the extreme pressure onthe body (and mind!) to keep up that level for 5-6yrs until they are able to shoot for a college scholorship. Less injuries because theres less pressures on growth plates/joints/etc. and they kids have a better chance of growing more normally. some coaches were getting really scary, because with the littler ones, theres less fear, and less chance of them arguing against a skill w/their coach. So some were taking too big of risks w/the little ones. So, theres a few reasons.
Tiffany
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
