As The 2008 Olympics Gymnastics Come To A Close, More Questions Than Answers
The above video from MSNBC gives us some more insight into the age controversy surrounding the Chinese Women’s Gymnastic team, which as of this posting, seems to be picking up some steam as more documents surface pointing to shady actions on the part of the Chinese.
While it might seem petty to complain about these “minor” details after the fact, I stand by my original assertion that it’s not about the number of medals any team gets or doesn’t get, but about overall fairness and ultimately, the integrity of the Olympics. As k so eloquently explained in the previous post, there is a major advantage to being younger and smaller when it comes to competing in a sport as difficult and dynamic as gymnastics.
I have zero complaints with how our own U.S. Women’s Gymnastic team performed and medaled, they did a tremendous job and really made their country proud. But then, they played fair, didn’t cheat and showed an amazing amount of grace despite knowing all along they were competing against cheaters, albeit very talented and cute, but cheaters none the less.
Who knows how this will all pan out in the end, but after watching Nastia Luikin lose gold in the uneven bars to China’s He Kexin, who may very well be too young to compete, it begs the question as to what’s right, what’s fair, and what do we do to fix what’s clearly been broken in the system.
As the old adage goes, winners never cheat, and cheaters never win — except, apparently, in Beijing.
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Absolutely. I have been absolutely appalled with how this blatant instance of cheating has been treated. Bela Karolyi is right when he points out how insulting this is to the rest of the world. To publish their ages in the state-sponsored press and then suddenly retract them and say these state-issued passports (some of which list birthdays at January 1st? come on. . .) are the only valid proof of age is preposterous, and I sincerely hope that the American gymnasts at some point receive the medals they earned and deserve.
Comment by Joe — August 19, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
“To publish their ages in the state-sponsored press and then suddenly retract them and say these state-issued passports (some of which list birthdays at January 1st? come on. . .) ”
And this time you suddenly trust this “state-sponsored press”? And how fake is it to have been born on Jan 1st, like, a chance of 1 out of 365 chance? Come on, you whining losers.
Comment by Leawood — August 19, 2008 @ 5:11 pm
At the risk of tempting the wrath of Mao’s ghost on me, perfection as a facade has always been a high priority for Communists. Remember, “the end justifies the means.”
If there is truth to come out, I hope it does and that all the medals that the underagers won trickle down to whomever deserves them next in line.
Comment by Jannah — August 19, 2008 @ 11:45 pm
Let’s get to the bottom of this. He Kexin, a minor, is being accused of being a cheater. There is technology to verify this. Humans are like trees. Trees have tree rings, humans have bones and teeth. By x-ray He Kexin’s teeth and bone, her true age can be estimated. For teenagers older than 16, teeth x-ray can have accuracy as small as 3 months. For children 18 or younger, bone x-ray accuracy is up to 2 years give or take. To be more accurate, intrusive surgical cross-sectioning will do the trick.
He Kexin basically robbed Nastia Luikin’s gold medal. So, it should be ok for her to go through surgery to prove her case. Since gold is involved, Nastia should be happy to prove her age as well.
LOL.
Comment by Jay U. Li — August 23, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
Look Nastia accepted that she did her best and she accepts she gets a silver, yeah He may be not old enough to compete but its better cheating with drugs like many of the olympic athletes from *cough cough* have.
At least He has the skill and talent to win a medal!
Also i don’t think Alicia Sacramone did so well, i mean sure blame the offical that she couldn’t perform her BEST. Probably couldn’t handle the pressure
Comment by someone — August 24, 2008 @ 12:56 am