Another day, another possible cheat in the Beijing Olympics. Read about it below and see videos.
Chinese Gymnasts
It seems that there is a question as to whether or not the female Chinese Gymnastics Olympic team are all the required 16-years-old or older. The question has been raised by the American Gymnastics coach, Bela Karolyi. The Chinese beat the Americans yesterday (this morning) to win the gold while the Americans brought home the silver medal.
They legitimately won, don’t misunderstand. The American’s all made errors during their routines. Twenty-year-old Alicia Sacramone stumbled when she was mounting the horse. All three of the Americans made mistakes in their floor exercises. So they lost the gold medal all on their own.
Still, there is a question of the ages of the tiny, prepubescent looking Chinese girls. Some have explained their tiny physics as being under nourished in order to keep them small so that they would perform better as gymnasts. Others think the Chinese officials are lying about their ages. A former Chinese gymnast has admitted to being only 14-years-old when she competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
In spite of Bela Karolyi’s protestations, no one seems to want to follow through with investigating the ages of the girls. The International Gymnastics Federation (F.I.G.) and the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.) seem to be just throwing up their hands in frustration.
The Chinese have produced passports of the girls to prove their ages and say that’s as much as they will discuss it.
Can you imagine if there was a question about the ages of the American girls? THAT would be all over the news and no one would let it go until they had forensic exams to prove their ages. Its interesting to me that the very same people that criticize Americans for virtually everything are willing to overlook anything that a Communist country does.
Chinese Gymnasts
August 13th, 2008 at 11:02 am
It is truly sad. Those American girls worked so hard and were all of legal age. In a legal competion they did lose if those girls are 16. However, I did not believe for one second those girls were 16. Therefore, America and those girls that worked so hard deserve the gold Romania the silver and Russia the bronze. If China is really honest about those girls being 16 there shouldn’t be a problem submitting to testing. But there obviously is a problem so they should be forced to provide more proof of their ages.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
The Chinese girls look like they’re about 8 or 9. Incredible! If they are indeed as old as the Chinese say they are, then they’ve been deliberately starved or otherwise “modified” to make them smaller. I don’t know how they’d do that - hormones or lack thereof - limited diets, over-exercising. Even their faces look like 10 years old at most.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
i guess the chi coms think if they put on blue eye shadow the girls will look older. unfortunately they just look like pre pubesic girls made up to look like white trash.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Two of the girls had their real birthdates published in previous gymnastics events. China erased the online evidence, but the old files are still cached on Google.
Simple solution: a dental x-ray and exam. By 12 years old, a girl should have lost all her deciduous teeth if there is room for the adult teeth to erupt. If they have one or more unerupted adult teeth and nothing blocking their descent, they aren’t 16.
I had unerupted adult teeth into my late thirties, but they were impacted so the baby teeth never fell out. I needed oral surgery to bring the adult teeth in. The baby teeth were severely worn because they had been used longer than they were designed for. One gymnast has a missing tooth - if there’s an adult tooth up there, she’s too young. If she has more than one adult tooth unerupted, it’s a smoking gun. The IOC is simply facilitating Chinese lies.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:53 am
They are clearly cheating! I saw at the US Olympic trials that Alicia Sacramone could drive. The Americans wouldn’t cheat, if they did it would be pretty clear. But for the Chinese.. they are CRAZY!! I mean it’s the OLYMPICS for God’s sakes! Why in the world would they cheat in the biggest games in the world!! I’m only 13 and I just lost my last tooth a month ago! that must tell you something about the littler Chinese girls.
August 14th, 2008 at 4:36 am
I first must say that on a performance only basis, China did the best, hands down, But if these allegations are true, then it puts another huge damper over the 2008 Olympics. I honestly believe that these girls are not 16 years of age, and should have not been allowed to compete. I also do not understand why there is not an investigation going on to determine the truth. It is just horrible that the Chinese would force these young girls to live a lie on the biggest stage in the world, just to make thier own country look better. Those young girls without a doubt are some of the best gymnast in the world, but rules are rules, I would expect the people who host the event to be honest in all aspects regarding the games. Makes me wonder what else may have slipped through the cracks in some of the more not-so-popular events.
August 14th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Of course, everyone will say that Americans are sore losers for keeping this issue alive, but this is not sour grapes over losing. Personally, I would feel the exact same way if we didn’t even field a gymnastics team. The confusing thing to me is this….the smallest girl, Deng Linlin, isn’t even mentioned in any of the stories I’ve read, yet she is the glaring evidence. She is missing her upper right cuspid. Cuspids should emerge by 11-12, 13 at the LATEST. I’m sure many things are done to make sure they remain small and light for as long as possible, but you can’t fix tooth development. Just the fact that the press has uncovered multiple ‘official’ ages for some of these girls should be enough for the IOC to investigate. The admission of former gymnasts that they competed in Athens at 14 should be another nail in the coffin. Let’s show this communist dictatorship how freedom of the press works!
August 14th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
“Mounting the horse?” Female gymnasts don’t mount a horse. Men mount the pommel horse. Perhaps you meant “the beam”?
August 14th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
They’re obviously underage. I mean, that’s totally obvious. It is true Asian women tend to appear younger than other nationalities at the same age. And they are generally smaller in physique. But this is ridiculous. As other post mentioned, the one girl is missing a tooth. “Nuff” said. But in addition to that Even in the muscular athletic bodies of elite gymnasts, you can identify the onset of puberty at that age, ei: spreading of hips, breast development, albeit very small. And from a general audience point of view, you can see the maturity in the faces of the girls at that age. If they are underage, the U.S, indeed deserves a gold medal and ARE the best gymnasts in the world. If these girls are younger, which from my point of view, 2 or 3 years does make a diffeence, younger gymnasts seem to be more fearless in taking risks, their bodies are smaller and lacking those developemental changes mentioned above making it easier to perform tricks, stick landings, and manuver in general. Smaller bodies are easier to rotate, balance and control. It could be said that junior gymnasts are perhaps a little better than senior gymnasts for these reasons. Younger gymnasts have the advantage. And if the Chinese are crude enough to use a young girls voice but not her image because she’s not “cute” enough, I wouldn’t put this past them. I wish they would mandate testing. If the chinese girls are indeed of age, they should have no problems offering or submitting to prove it.
August 14th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
man. americans cry so much.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
I still cant believe we (the Americans) diss China so much. Sure, they are commie - does that mean they cheat? USA’s attitude seems to be if people/countries are not kowtowing to them, they bring up accusations, whip up media reports and create a general frenzy.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
All are underage except for the one on the far right. But the IOC doesn’t want a big scandal and won’t investigate. They are being forced not to by the Chinese dictatorship.
August 15th, 2008 at 4:58 am
I was a gymnast during Nadia’s years and I am angered by the fact that these Chinese girls are obviously not 16. The oldest girl may be about 16 but the smaller gymnasts are obviously NOT even close.
I do think they preformed the best, however, they did not do it fairly so they should not be awarded the metals for that reason.
If they had to put a team together of 16+ aged athletes it may be a totally different outcome. We will never know!
As Bela pointed out they are under less stress.
Also no one has pointed out that when a 16 yr. old hits puberty the body goes through drastic changes making it much more difficult to perform. Our weight, height, and flexibility all change to a great degree. A young child of 10 or 11 yrs. old are not faced with these problems.
Even the amount of floor space is affected that you perform on.
A little girl will use 2/3’s the space needed to perform a routine on and are less likely to step out of bounds.
Has no one else noticed that the smallest gymnast is missing a canine tooth? Only 10 to 11 yr. olds lose these teeth. How many 16 yr. olds lose teeth? NONE!
Bob Costas seemed very uncomfortable addressing the issue. Why is the US media underplaying this, when it could be the biggest story of the Olympics next to Michael Phelps wins?
If any of our reporters did research and followed up on it, the American girls would feel better about their accomplishments. Silver is wonderful, but you can see the disappointment in their body language.
As a former gymnast that worked hard to get where I did I am so angered over this issue… it makes me want to stop watching the Olympics.
We have reasons for rules.
The Olympics should be held to the highest of standards, and be checked to make sure all athletes and countries are complying.
If we let people slide on these standards it really shouldn’t be called the Olympics.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
okay peple who think americans are whining too much, even if they werent commies the girls look obiviously underaged, other countries should be questioning this too, idk if they are or not but they should, sorry if we dont like to sit by and watch a possible cheating scandal, if it was the u.s. with the 10 yr old looking girls the world we be going crazy with acusations too. but i do feel bad for the kids in china getting taken away from their parents just so they can be turned into hardcore gymnasts, its sad and wrong they only get to see their parents a couple times a year
August 15th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
On the one hand, yes these girls look extremely young and by American standards, they don’t look a day over 16. On the other hand, why would China take a chance by putting underage girls in the public’s eye where millions across the world will clearly see they are breaking the law of Olympic age requirement. It doesn’t make sense they would take this type of risk in leaving a blemish in the “new China” image they’re trying to portray to the world. If you look at pictures of Shawn Johnson from Athens Olympics, she looks very young too. Why are we wasting time debating this? Why does it matter? Its not about the medal, its not about US v. China, its about appreciating the art of gymnastics.
August 17th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
John K, One of their gymnasts in the 2004 Athens Olympic games has already admitted that she performed while underage, why would they not do it again? Can you honestly look at the picture beginning the article and tell me all of those girls are undoubtedly 16 years old? If so, I hope you never have sexual intercourse, as you’ll like end up in a state penitentiary under statutory rape charges.
Lindsay, Shawn Johnson does not have the face and body of a 10 year old, the Chinese female gymnasts do. Obviously China believes the rest of the world consists of idiots and many people do stupid things under scrutiny, what makes this situation any different?
It’s not about appreciating the art of gymnastics, it’s about appreciating the rules. Underage gymnasts are supposed to compete in the Olympic gymnastics competition, and the Chinese female gymnasts are CLEARLY underage. The issue is not who performed better, the issue is that China broke the rules.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
You know what, you people are absolutely sick. Just because they look like they are younger than 16 years of age and they don’t match up to the TYPICAL AMERICAN SIZE at the age of 16, that DOES NOT MEAN that they are not 16. So I suggest that you all get over the U.S. loss of the gold and stop finding reasons to strip other countries of their gold medals. If you all had brains, you would know for a fact that all countries do not have people that develop at the same rate that your country does. Asian people are known for looking younger and being stronger at older ages. So stop this nonsense. They already gave proof that they are 16. If the other Olympic officials aren’t doing anything about it, that should show you all something that they know they are of age, and they were shown proof. Do you really think China, the country HOSTING THE 2008 OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES, would actually do something as stupid and risky as to put underage girls in the games? NO I DON’T THINK SO. SO GET OVER YOURSELVES AND COME TO GRIPS WITH THE FACT THAT THE CHINESE GIRLS WON AND THEY DID IT ALL LEGALLY AND WITHOUT BEING UNDERAGE. Gosh, just because the U.S. athletes are known for doping themselves the most out of any country, doesn’t mean that others will do it or go to other extreme lengths to win. GROW UP ALL OF YOU.
August 17th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Gabs, this has been an issue since before the opening ceremony. And you should really suppress your obvious envy of America, it makes you look even more foolish.
It is true that many Asians look younger than their actual age, there are noticeable differences between 12 year olds and a 16 year olds no matter the ethnicity. Besides the issues in looks, height, and weight of these girls China already has a record of falsifying the age of one of their athletes, who just so happened to be a gymnast as well. The third piece of evidence comes from various Chinese, government-run websites that confirmed the ages of at least four athletes to be 14 years old.
Yes, I believe China, the hosting country, would go as far as to blatantly cheat in their efforts to win. In fact, their status as the hosting country makes it far easier and convenient for them to forge passports, especially considering He Kexin’s passport was issued to her on February 14, 2008. Now don’t you look like an idiot?
If one of the American gymnasts were under scrutiny for being underage, the entire world, including you, would be blasting us, so please shut the hell up. Isn’t it funny how none of the athletes who have been disqualified from this years games have been American? I think you’re just pissed because whatever pathetic country you’re from has most likely done pretty poorly in these Olympic games.
Chinese news story #1, cached from Google because of its mysterious removal a couple of days ago. Notice the lines ‘14-year-old newcomer’ and ‘less than 80 days until the Beijing Olympics.’
Chinese news story #2 This article is the same as the previous, but from a different newspaper and with a slight editorial change! See if you can find it!
Chinese news story#3 Translation: The thirteen-year-old He Kexin, from Wuhan, met opponent Yang Yilin, who is on the National Team. Amid cheers from her hometown audience, the young girl excellently executed the full set of moves in the finals, and just beat out Yang Yilin, who already had high scores. … If she was 13 in 2007, she can’t be 16 in 2008!
There are even more articles that prove the age of probably the youngest of China’s gymnasts. This a valid issue that the FIG is scared to investigate because they don’t want to embarrass the host country. I guarantee that the Americans’ medals would have been stripped within hours if the same allegations had been made against them.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Yes, they do not look 16. But, asian people do have the tendency of looking younger! Have you not noticed that? Besides, if the officials aren’t doing anything about it, WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING? And the oldest girl in the team is nearly 20 as she took part in the Athens Olympics. So does that explain to you that asian people actually DO look younger than westerners?
August 19th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
It is so apparently obvious that these chinese women are underage. If they were not then you would not be able to find contradictory evidence. The athletes have competed in several events in the past and you can trace evidence of previously submitted birth certificates showing that they are indeed underage. Why do people think that Americans are trying to have a witch hunt when we are actually just not going to let cheaters win?
August 19th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Hey Hobbit,
First off, let me start by telling you that it’s pretty funny when you say ‘whatever pathetic country’ that I come from…I happen to come from the United States of America! LOL…isn’t that hilarious? You see that comment you made? It’s that exact attitude that people see when they think of Americans and it’s people like yourself that give Americans that name because of your superior attitude (I am referring to your ‘envy of America’ comment). Why must everyone envy America? What’s exacty IS there to envy? I digress.
To tell you the truth, I really do not care or care to take to heart who does well and who doesn’t in these Olympics. I just don’t appreciate it when people judge without actually knowing anything and having full proof. (Yes I admit, maybe I also did that up above) But, if it was SUCH an issue before the opening ceremony (as you said), then why oh why didn’t it make headlines like it currently is today?
Anyway, if I didn’t know any better, I would think you were a relative to one of the girls that lost because it seems as though you have such an emotional connection with this issue. I say this because you can’t have a civil discussion without becoming clearly upset about it. Your overly emotional language was unnecessary, but I guess you have yet to learn about that in life.
I have stated my opinion. I am done with this issue. Continue to have your discussion about it everyone, but I honestly don’t think they are underaged. I could be wrong, but so could those sources that are saying that they are. I just wish we’d stop doing this and appreciate the actual sport. But I guess people will be people.
Oh and by the way, (1)there really is NOTHING about America that I would ever feel the need to envy, (2)even if America was under scrutiny, I wouldn’t be the one pointing fingers like you are, and (3)actually I don’t look like an idiot because you don’t have proof, my sweet dear honey hobbit
August 19th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Olympic Chinese Gymnast Had Baby Teeth and Came in Stroller!…
The good thing about the Olympics is that its all about fair play. But, Come on now! We all know that those gymnast from China were under aged! Are they good…Yes!! Great even! They even deserved the gold medals….in the Baby Gap sponsored World Todd…
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:43 am
GABS I think you miss the point and I am glad you skulked away knowing that you do not know what you’re talking about. American sports are generally merit based. Talent, drive, ambition and partially opportunity all play a role. In China, gymnasts are BRED like cattle for sport. China has a mission to compete for domination in sport and capitalism. They pick and choose the smallest, nimblest, most promising toddlers and take them from their families and breed (abuse) them for victory. Gymnastics is a sport that constantly borders on abuse. American gymnasts are a more enlightened variety and compete for the love of the sport and their own personal ambition. Nastia Liukin has been doing the same routines since she was a junior gymnast. She is 19- she did not get the opportunity to compete at 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18 in the olympics. IT HAPPENS EVERY FOUR YEARS! She WAITED HER TURN AND KEPT WORKING HARD EVEN WHEN PUBERTY BEGAN TO LIMIT HER ABILITIES. Is it fair that China sidesteps the rules because they know their little ones can get the job done? NOOO. Obviously you are not familiar with the sport of gymnastics and obviously you are a dogmatist with blinders on who can’t see the forest for the trees in this situation. You have no validity to speak of this issue without a solid understanding of gymnastics and physiology. It is so freaking obvious that some of those girls were not of age. Only someone with a dogmatic, anti American agenda would suggest otherwise. Your dislike of this nation drips from your rhetoric. Please do not equate this amazing country that has provided so many people in the last few hundred years so many opportunities with whatever political or philosophical dogma you dislike. This country transcends the bigotry, hate and politics of some of its ignorant citizens (and presidents). With all its flaws it is an amazing, democratic nation- you should learn about it sometime. CHINA is a fledgling wannabe nation, determined to become a dominant power in the world. That may happen and that is fine, but because of their ambition they will be willing to risk behaving unethically. That is what happened with the gymnastics scandal in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Yes, we are passionate about this issue. If you were Nastia Liukin, how would you feel?
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 am
**correction: Nastia is 18, will turn 19 in oct. I have also just read that a hacker has discovered some evidence that at least one girl is not of age. The team gold medal should be taken from China and given to the US. Also, I have NOTHING against the Chinese gymnasts. They are victims. It is the gov that orchestrated this. I also noticed that the judging was biased in many instances toward China too. I wonder why that was? Only a gymnast would understand what I am talking about. A Chinese gymnast got a bronze medal on vault and misperformed one whole vault and fell on the landing. How is this possible? And if anyone thinks I am USA biaed it is not true. I fell in love with the little firecracker Sandra Izbasa from Romania who won gold on floor and deserved it. Whatev-
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:33 am
it has nothing to do with it being a communist country. Are you still scared of Russians? get over it. Way to promote fear.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 am
You Americans are pissed off becos, you cannot beleive that China has more gold medals than you. Despite all the odds, China managed to organise the greatest Olympics ever. And it is quite clear that London 2012 can never match this either. So accept defeat gracefully and don’t accuse others.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Shame shame shame. I’ve been to China and NO WAY those girls are even close to 16. I’ve traveled all over China and know this first hand. Lets take a quick glimpse of them cheating, ready? :
digital flowers - fake
fireworks - fake
bus homeless people out of city
trample over human rights daily
found cheating a few years back
sends lead based crap to our kids to eat and die
removed website links to the girls ages
need more proof? Chinese people won’t admit when their wrong nor will they admit they falsified their ages on the documents
China is a cesspool of oppression and death
China will never be great or honest in the worlds eyes
China will go down as the “worst country in the world” ubermann quote,,,sorry…
August 24th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Maybe these gymnasts are the correct age, but I think flor most people the word of the Chinese Government isn’t worth anything. they’ve already lied about the opening ceremony and other things. I still believe they should be completely embarrassed about the treatment of the 7 year old singer who was deemed not pretty enough. How can anyone with a HEART do something like that to a little child?
August 25th, 2008 at 2:10 am
I think it is all a bunch of bull shit!! These girls are underage and China is scared to admit it and be stripped of there gold metals! If the girls are of age let them investigate it and prove us all wrong, but as of right now the chinese are looking like cheaters. HOpefully they will relize what they did was wrong and admit to it…..good luck!!
August 25th, 2008 at 2:52 am
Sore Losers.
And even if those girls are really 13 then…the american team got their asses kicked by a buncha little kids
October 25th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
they are obviously underage and china obviously cheated i have nothing against the cute girls but at the adults who obviously have no honor people should respect the olympics