http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/sports/chinese+gymnast+declared+old+enough/2484522

Them girls were underaged I tell you…

;)

Then if you are 24 with thin narrow hips, are you anorexic too?! Obviously you do not know the differences between a 14 year old and a 16 year old. Major development happens in those two years in a womans body. And were there not athletes in other sports at the Olympics who were-dare I say it?-over 30? Oh my gosh! They are ancient and should be put in the nursing home right now!!!
And models are not “supposed” to be that way. They CHOOSE to be that way.
babygate is a proper term here.
Tell me then, why did the IOC impose age restrictions in the first place? Do you know something that they don’t know?

Even if the chinese athletes were 14 instead of 16, it really doesn’t have much of a difference in comparison to a 16 year old.

and btw, i DO believe they’re 16. They have thin narrow girl hips, just like mine and i’m 24. And it’s just like how supermodels can be super tall and yet super skinny. That’s just the way they’re supposed to be.

Most of those girls were about the same height as Nastia Liukin and she’s 19!!! Obviously all gymnasts are tiny because you can’t become a world-class gymnast UNLESS you are tiny.

I totally love how all these china-bashers are stating “allegations” like they’re “facts”. I’ve read more than ones that the chinese athletes were still “losing their baby teeth”. Really? Because I watched the olympics too! I saw some crooked teeth but I didn’t see any MISSING teeth.

I know tons of people think there are “documents” online, namely a chinese newspaper, that states the girls are younger. Ok, seriously. Newspapers are never wrong? I’ve caught more NBC mistakes this past two weeks than most people will ever know.

And do you people HONESTLY think that if the Chinese government is intentionally misrepresenting the gymnasts’ age, they’d just….conveniently leave contradictory, easily accessible information online? You people HONESTLY want me to believe that the chinese government, if it really wanted to, can’t even keep a newspaper from reporting the gymnasts’ “real” age? And that the “REAL” facts on the gymnasts age is publicly available even when both the gymnasts and their passpors say otherwise? Because we all KNOW that the internet is never wrong but the passport and the word of the athletes themselves are ALWAYS wrong (because they’re chinese).

The IOC will briefly look into the age thing, find documents that the girls are 16 or older, and then let the subject drop. The only reason they’re even bothering is because a CERTAIN group of americans (morons) are complaining like somebody kicked their dog. Nobody else in the rest of the world, as well as the american athletes have a problem themselves. I find it ironic that us couch potatoes have so much sway.

do a search on ioc and underage and see what the latest reports say :P

In parts of China, a baby is born one year old(9 month pregnancy counted) and it’s more common in the south. People who do this usually count with the lunar calendar. It depends on different local pactices, ethnic groups and religions. It’s never something to be written down or taken officially.

This is NOT an official practise and our documents(passport, ID, residence permits, etc) record our EXACT birthday and year. Lunar age is simply meaningless here.

Excuse me but it’s really silly if you truly believe China reports to IOC with He’s lunar age, hasn’t EVERYONE here said China presented the girls’ passports? It was not like He’s mom told IOC He is 16 by a mother’s standard.

I have an idea just how little people know about China. Sometimes I am still shocked…..

Amanda,
Seriously who is actually uncovering any evidence here? I’ve been told repeatedly that “someone has solid evidence He’s underage” and then everybody starts accusing her. Already.
I’m totally intrigued by that mysterious new evidence and that mysterious someone(who spoke out and vanished in the digital blackhole of online information) now. But it always ended up as “He just looks too small”. Solid as stone huh.
(At least I gave a picture and asked questions?)

Oh and be realistic. what makes this a “much more hot topic” is the gold medal. She’s been competing all these years and where was every angry one back then?
Pre-Olympic investigations had to be closed before anyone could enter the games, as she said in the press conference: “I wouldn’t be here if I were not 16.” and she expressed clearly “I’m pretty sure how old I am.”

I’d rather believe the Chinese government than a thousand over-excited Americans.

And He’s routine didn’t have to be “flawless” to get the gold. She was the best on the field and that’s all that mattered.
The point being, it doesn’t matter what you think, nor what I think. I personally think the girl ranking 3rd did best, and she received best and loudest on-site applause, who cares about what we think?

As for whether He deserves the gold, I don’t think it’s up to just any TV viewer.
The committee have professional, experienced, and well-trained eyes. The only way they should be questioned is by ediquately professional questions.

———————-
At the end of the day, isn’t it simple that if real proof has been offered, given the power, the influence and resources, how would a country like the US settle with the result? At least not Nastia’s father given previous experiences.

Is it because of Liukin’s worries about China’s homefield advantage?
Well China reported unfair scoring many times to the IOC in previous Olympics, all hosted in other countries obviously.
We got three results: requests rejected; requests accpeted and investigated, but scores unchanged; objections accepted, investigated and proven true, Chinese athletes actually won, the faulted judge was fired, but nothing could be changed by then.
Truth is China has never get back a deserved gold, even when the IOC admitted their mistake.

Chinese players still have that kind of faith after times and times of unfair results, why on earth would Americans be so low-profile?

BTW we can tell Liukin was a Russian name. Chinese actually know quite a lot about Russia and the world.
She was raised and trained in the US since 3, plus she represented the United States of America, which makes her American.

keep on waiting :) LOL

I don’t know maybe you are 20, and you look 40?????

The age limit is set in place for gymnastics for a reason, it has to do with being more limber and feerless when your 12 or 13, so Its a good thing to have a gymnast be at lease 16 so it is more fair, otherwise, lets have all countries enlist anyone into a gymnastic event regardless of the age.

He Kexin should NOT have a gold medal, her routine was not flawless and I think actually she did not do as well as Nastia, (who was actually born in Russia). I can not wait until the day comes when Nastia is given what is rightfully and legitamitly hers!

I would like to believe the IOC is a professional as assumed in the last reply, but unfortunately the latest issue of Foreign Policy magazine has an article that suggests they are as corrupt as anyone.

I have heard on a number of occasions that the Chinese tradition for a “birthday” is when you were conceived not the actual birth. Granted this could vary greatly from one day to the next but they figure it out somehow. This could make a difference in her actual “birthday”.

From what I have heard they only looked at the passport for He. There was no other evidence shown and the IOC accepted it. This IS a major controversy which should be looked in to immediately. And from the looks of it online, it will be! A passport can be tampered with!

If there has been any cheating on any team-the medals for that sport should be stripped and given to the next person in line that competed. That country should also be banned for at least the next four years of competition and not be allowed to sponsor any Olympics in that country.
PERIOD!!!!!