Olympics girls gymnastics?

Question

Ok last night when they showed the last round for the chinese and the united states to win the gold or silver....don't you think one of those chinese girls is under age? I mean she DOES NOT look 16! And even that one guy said they looked under age. Do you think they are?

Answer 1

Even if asian people are naturally smaller and mature slower than those from America (which I'm sure they do), they would not look 11 or 12, like Deng Linlin, He Kexian, and their teammates. You can tell by the way their body looks. Deng and He don't have women's bodies. Their legs are not shapely, and they are flat as boards. If they were sixteen, no matter how slow they mature or slight their figure, they would have some hint of curves.

Also, the New York Times and others did discover that several Chinese registries had listed these athletes as underage.

And yeah, I was disappointed in Alicia Sacramone's performance on beam and floor. But, I think China has more difficult routines (better start values) and more competent athletes than USA. The USA only has a couple good all-around athletes in my opinion (Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin). Who knows...or cares-it's irrelevant to the question-if we would have won.

Whatever, if you're really that desperate to win gold, no matter what country you're from....it's pretty sad that you have to break the rules to get them.



Edit: And no, it's easier to be beaten by younger athletes. They are less likely to be hindered by a fear of injury and a lighter and more flexible than older gymnasts.

Answer 2

You said that the girl does not look like she is 16, but in the additional details you said that the chinese would still win even if alicia did not fall off.



Everyone stereotypes asians to be small and short and now that the gymnasts are short and smaller than the Americans they assume that they are "underage"



Asians tend to look younger than americans.My mom is 51 but she still looks like she is in her 40's. The Chinese team is not American! Therefore they do not look the same.

Answer 3

It is such a joke they have not done something about it yet.

I guarantee you that if the olypics was being held in any other country this subject would already have been delt with and china would be stripped of their medals. but since its in bejjing of course its being shushed and no one is talking about it. its an absolute joke they have records from a international competition this year that says they are 14 years old and now they are apparently 16..?? what people dont realize is that being young reallly gives you a advantage in gymnastics because of their light weight. all those people who are saying " oh the us is just mad that china beat them and are congratulating china for doing such a good job" of course they are amazing but their cheating! the us probably could have done alot better if they were using younger athletes like china whos de ling ling in my personal opinion looks like she's seven years old. oh and dont try the chinese people mature slowly because there is no way in hell that chick is 16

Answer 4

China is cheating.



From the New York Times:



"In Chinese newspaper profiles this year, He was listed as 14, too young for the Beijing Games.



"The Times found two online records of official registration lists of Chinese gymnasts that list He’s birthday as Jan. 1, 1994, which would make her 14. A 2007 national registry of Chinese gymnasts — now blocked in China but viewable through Google cache — shows He’s age as '1994.1.1.'



"Another registration list that is unblocked, dated Jan. 27, 2006, and regarding an 'intercity' competition in Chengdu, China, also lists He’s birthday as Jan. 1, 1994. That date differs by two years from the birth date of Jan. 1, 1992, listed on He’s passport, which was issued Feb. 14, 2008."



An admission of cheating in 2000:



"Yang Yun of China won individual and team bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and later said in an interview on state-run television that she had been 14 at the time of those Games. A Hunan Province sports administration report also said later that she had been 14 when she competed in Sydney."



China's People's Daily newspaper stating He Kexin's age as 14 on May 23, 2008:



"Olympic gymnastics title contenders suddenly have one more thing to worry about other than the eight gold medals China claimed at the Tianjin World Cup last week. Her name is He Kexin.



"The 14-year-old newcomer to the national team, who was recruited last year, has raised a lot of eyebrows recently after she broke two world records on the uneven bars in as many months. She will be just one more weapon on an already star-studded Chinese Olympic squad."

Answer 5

Maybe they are, but I don't see how it affected the final result. The age restriction is kind of stupid. China was simply better.

If they really were young then it's more serious: the world champions beaten by a group of unexperienced chinese kids???

Better to believe they were really over 16.

Answer 6

I did notice that Chris Hansen was sitting with the Chinese team and they had Sweet Tea instead of Gatorade

Answer 7

asian people generally look younger hence even if they were 16 they looked like 12.

Western people generaly mature faster in their teens hence the womens gymnast team from USA looked quite mature (18ish).



Britains Tom Daley is only 14. I dont see anyone complaining about him! And Micheal Phelps competed in sydney when he was 15!

Answer 8

the chinese gymnasts look really young but they proved their ages with official passports, so apparently they are.

Answer 9

HELL YEAH AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE LOOK 12 OR 13 AND THAT IS WHY IT IS CONTROVERSY

Answer 10

Your just pissed that Sacramone cost the U.S. the gold, but yeah I agree.