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.
they still compete jr competition which is the same so those aren't the reasons. the real reason is because younger girls are more flexible and make better gymnists.
the majority of the girls in the Jr division are not doing the same skills or amounts as the Srs.
also
the younger "gymnasts are being exploited. Parents find it easier to control kids at that age. Coaches find them easier to control. And audiences have come to enjoy the sight of pixie-like waifs performing unbelievable feats. Gymnastics is dangerous, physically demanding, and mentally grueling. Children shouldn't be forced through the gauntlet of training before they are able to prepare themselves mentally for the difficulties of six-to-eight hour days in the gym. Nor should they be encouraged to stunt their growth for the greater glory of the stage-hogging coaches..The combination of smaller, younger girls with more difficult routines can result in eating disorders, weakened bones, stunted growth, serious injuries, and damaged psyches,
oh, and it was in 96 that the IFG instituted age requirements...
how often theyre followed, is a whole nother story...
BTW, how many people saw the WOMAN from Germany who is in her 5th Olympics (2nd country now) and qualified for the vault finals? In 4th place!!!!! and she is 33yrs old and has a young son! IMO, thats way more impressive then these little ones China is putting out! Go Oksana!!!
Last edited by tiffela74; 08-11-2008 at 11:23 PM..
BTW, how many people saw the WOMAN from Germany who is in her 5th Olympics (2nd country now) and qualified for the vault finals? In 4th place!!!!! and she is 33yrs old and has a young son! IMO, thats way more impressive then these little ones China is putting out! Go Oksana!!!
Amazing is all I can say. I can't imagine doing what she's doing as a 33 year old.
China takes these little girls at the age of 3 and this is what they do, gymnastics, gymnastics, gymnastics. Is it right? It's not for me to say, but the fact of the matter is that rules should be rules. They had that big brouhaha over the ice skating judging at Salt Lake and the IOC jumped in ... drug testing is administered and medals are taken away ... rules rules rules.
There's no friggin' way these girls are 16. You know how 16 year olds wear make up to look older? Sometimes, it does make 'em look older and sometimes, it just makes them look 16. In the Chinese gymnasts' case, it makes them look like Jon Benet.
Honestly, He Kexin is so talented that her age really doesn't matter but rules are rules and call it what you like but the Chinese are cheating. What really ticks me off is that the people who can do something about it are doing nothing. They are so impressed by her talents (yes, she is very talented) that they would rather look the other way and question a friggin' passport as hard evidence. Well, the Associated Press recently found a news article in a Chinese newspaper, that stated He Kexin was 14 (or 13) and the article was dated 9 months ago. Now, if there are two contradicting pieces of paper, I think that's enough evidence to look further into this. My bet is that they won't. Oh yeah, the link to the article no longer exists.
I heard somewhere that the average weight of the Chinese gymnasts were under 80 lbs. For the Americans, it was over 100lbs. Sure age doesn't matter when it comes to talent, but a 13 year old and a 16 year old (or 18, 21, whatever) weight difference sure does when you're talkin' about flying on those bars. Of course the younger ones are going to look more graceful b'c they have less weight on them. What will be the ripple affects of letting the Chinese get away with this? The sport already breeds small framed girls wanting to be smaller. How is this going to mentally affect these athletes? Negatively I presume. What about the next country that's going to "sneak" in young ones? I'm thinking about the long term affects here and I don't like what I see!
I dont think us Americans have a right to ***** about anyone else cheating in the Olympics.
Especially after Marion Jones absolutely disgraced our country with her bull****.
I dont think us Americans have a right to ***** about anyone else cheating in the Olympics.
Especially after Marion Jones absolutely disgraced our country with her bull****.
I dont think us Americans have a right to ***** about anyone else cheating in the Olympics.
Especially after Marion Jones absolutely disgraced our country with her bull****.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyj46
Nicely said.
No. Glibly said. It's stupid to think the rest of the gymnastics field should be asked to pay for the sins of an athlete over which they had exactly zero control -- even the American gymnasts. If Americans don't have the right to expect that the other athletes will be accountable to the rules just like Marion Jones was, then give Jones her medals and records back. While we're at it, tell all the 2nd-place finishers she beat and were subsequently awarded gold medals that they have to give them back and settle for silver again.
And seriously, look at these girls. Not a chance some of them are anywhere close to 16. Compare them to any of the other female gymnasts out there. Gymnasts are small to begin with, yet the American girls absolutely tower over them. Except for Shawn Johnson anyway, she merely stands one head over them -- but that girl is built like a draft horse so it's pretty obvious she isn't a tweener.
Last edited by Drover; 08-15-2008 at 03:42 AM..
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.
