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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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by garylee
I want to know the rule too!
Does anyone know more ?
The rule is anyone competing in Olympic women's gymnastics must turn 16 years old before the end of the Olympiad year. That means anyone who turns 16 by December 31st 2008 is still eligible to participate in the current Games.
The rule was implemented in 1997 (which is why you had an open 14-year-old in the 1996 competition) ostensibly to prevent children from being pushed too hard too early, though I doubt it actually does anything. Girls who compete at 15/16/17 still start intensive training at rather young ages.
Unfortunately, we have no way of proving the exact age of the Chinese gymnasts. Suffice to say, Karma will take care of all. If they are underage and they did win the Gold, perhaps just a bit of the joy is taken out of it for them, knowing they cheated.
It's hard to look at a gymnast and determine age. They are tiny so they all seem younger. Shawn Johnson seems much younger looking than 16 to me. She's all of 4'9", right? When you look at someone that height, you tend to think they are younger than they really are.
But I agree that an age restriction of some sort is a good thing to have. Unlike swimming, track and a lot of other sports, it's actually an advantage to be a pre-adolescent in gymnastics. A 12 year old certainly can't compete in the pool but can excel in the gym.
Shawn Johnson may be short, but she still has clearly adult features, such as boobs and a body like an American Gladiator.
She is also not still losing baby teeth and weighs more than 70 pounds. Wonder if that littlest one will stop smiling for photos until that adult tooth comes in?
I agree that the rule should just be abolished. The countries that are cheating now will cheat again, so why not just make it open for all. The U.S. could have sent some younger gymnasts, too. Too bad for Nastia Liukin. She could have probably racked up some medals in 2004 when she was 14.
She is also not still losing baby teeth and weighs more than 70 pounds. Wonder if that littlest one will stop smiling for photos until that adult tooth comes in?
I agree that the rule should just be abolished. The countries that are cheating now will cheat again, so why not just make it open for all. The U.S. could have sent some younger gymnasts, too. Too bad for Nastia Liukin. She could have probably racked up some medals in 2004 when she was 14.
Yeah, the rule seems really unfair for people who are 14 or 15 during a given Olympiad because they're ineligible right as they hit their prime and then will be past their prime once they're actually eligible. If you're going to have an age limit -- and I'm not sure I see the point -- maybe lower it to 14.
Yeah, the rule seems really unfair for people who are 14 or 15 during a given Olympiad because they're ineligible right as they hit their prime and then will be past their prime once they're actually eligible. If you're going to have an age limit -- and I'm not sure I see the point -- maybe lower it to 14.
I think it's more unfair for a 16/17 year old to compete against a 13/14 year old.
The 13/14 year old has less fear, is most likely more flexible, and hasn't sustained as much "damage" on bones/joints/tendons/muscles etc. that an older gymnast has.
It's also easier for coaches, the government, their parents to push around & "control" a younger gymnast than an older one.
Well the divers from China are on right now for the women. They are 15 and 16 and they look MUCH older than their other China gymnasts. Just an observation.
And how much of this comes as a surprise to anyone? Please tell me the last Olympics when some nation or other wasn't cheating. And if it isn't a national team, its the officiating being biased. For that matter, what happened to their rule that 39 countries have to participate in a sport before it can be considered for the Games? I dare anyone to list the 39 countries where "synchronized swimming" is a participation sport. Yet there are well over 39 countries where they play baseball...and that sport still doesn't have full Olympic status.
The IOC is a joke, and has been for decades. What's strange is that nobody seems to be able to do anything about them.
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