What data do you want? China does not use birth certificates but uses passports instead, they were presented to the IOC and were accepted, that's why the girls were able to participate. Could the passports be forged? Of course, but China has done all they can in terms of identifying these girls ages. It should be the other way around and the people trying to prove China wrong are the ones that should showing more data.
When is the last time you seen a 13 or 14 year old complaining that they can't enter the NFL draft? Your body would already be matured by the time you enter high school, we are talking about girls who are possibly 13 or 14 years old. Your pretty much comparing guys like Lebron James and Dwight Howard to these girls who might have not even hit puberty. Your comparing apples with rocks right there. I agree they should be followed, but what I am saying is that the Chinese team provided the documents demanded by the IOC and thus they are technically following the rules. Your right from the look of things on the surface they are not following the rules, but its not really something you can prove, right? There are tests to see a person able to compete in athletic events, its called a physical........ I had to get one before I could play basketball in high school here in the US. Those ones in boxing and wrestling are weigh ins so they could match up the fighters around the same weight class, and again those are grown men, you are not going to see 13 year old kids entering in Olympic boxing competitions. Its not a specific body type, it would a test to see if your body (bone strength, body development, etc) to make sure you are not harming yourself before entering into such a rigorous competition.
Maybe. *shrugs* It just seems odd to me that if the girls truly are 16, there appears to be little or no news reports stating such from previous years. If this is so obvious, where are the "14 year old phenom steals the show" reports from 2006? Instead, we have indications that credible accounts in the news reveal her as 13 last year. Could those be mistakes? Sure. But if they are, one would assume other accounts could be easily found detailing the opposite. Where are they?
They are questioning the girls ages because of health. Have you seen the men gymnastic competition? All of those guys are 25+ and strong as a elephant. Doesn't it cross you at all that in the woman's competition they are pretty much doing the same thing except with 16 year olds?
There is another evidence sb dug out that could prove they are actually 16+. A documentary film recorded these gymnasts were selected and started to train since 2003 specifically for this Olympic. You can watch here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUGx-R90Tpo) around 9:47, Jiang Yuyuan told the reporter that she was 12. Now remember, that's in in 2003 (you need to watch from the beginning to find that out, if you understand Chinese). So that makes her 17 years old this year. Some say they also saw He Kexin in this video (not interviewed but in the background) but I don't have time to dig. As those old news story reported some 13 yrs old last year, there is possible explanation. First, I'd be the first to admit that the Chinese athlete training system has been shady regarding faked age of athletes. But it's more rampant in its national games. As medal counts are related to money, many changed their age (2-3 yrs younger) to compete to youth games. For this case of these gymnasts, it's possible that they competed in some national games using a faked birth date and was reported so.
No, I'm showing you where other sports have age limits that must be followed. That's why that whole thing was brought up. You're the one who brought up the health issue. I've already stated I am not trying to disprove or prove anything. I'm not saying they cheated, I'm not saying they didn't. Are you even reading my posts? A physical just tests to see if you are physically fit to play the game. If you don't think these girls had to go through numerous physicals then something is wrong with you. That other statement sounds like a specific body type to me.
See my last reply. Jiang said herself that she was 12, during an interview for a doc film in 2003. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUGx-R90Tpo) You can still say she lied all along since 2003 but it leads to no end.
Because the rules where made to protect the health of the younger gymnasts, I still don't get why you don't think that the rules where set in place for this. A physical tests all that and if your body could suffer long term injuries, which includes if your body is not fully developed.
OK, the rules were set to protect the health of the gymnasts. The gymnasts may be underage. What exactly is your point with all the health hoopla? Exactly and if you don't think that every athlete in these Olympics has not gone through a physical then you're crazy.
Nice find. I cannot watch it at work but I believe you. Isn't most of the emphasis on He and Yang though? Why was Jiang's birthday listed as 10-1-93 just last year for a competition? The whole thing is weird.
It's just an explanation: Jiang used a younger age to compete in national games as it required a maximum age (refer to my post earlier). It's the same reason that many doubt Ji Jianlian's age. Somebody also said they found Deng LL was 11 in 2003 from the same film but I didn't find it. And if you compare those girls face 5 years ago to now, you'd see they didn't age much after 5 years and thus so many think they are babies.
This is indeed possible - a good post from a Netizen with a plausible logical basis. Take note fellows - this is not just a bunch of kneejerk "Western media = bad to the bone!" rejectionism.
If you look back I originally said that the Chinese girls could be of age, while their body is simply not there yet. And then you started saying stuff about health is not the reason for the rules and brought up the NBA and NFL, I am only responding to those. Yea they have gone through a physical but not one by the IOC and certainly not one that will not let them compete if it is found that their health will suffer for been in the competition. Do you really think some of the countries really care about what happens to the athletes after the Olympics?
Find the post where I initiated anything about health. Thanks in advance. And here you are talking about health again. You're the one who brought health into the equation, not me. Check again please.
Thanks for the backhanded compliment, You know, laugh at yourself from time to time (like jon here in http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=179222&title=special-olympics-update) will make you much less subject to shxt-sling all the time. But who am I, you seem enjoying it very much.
Look back at it if you like its just on the page before this one. It pretty much comes down to the fact that you don't think competing in those kind of events can be harmful to a gymnast with a undeveloped body whether or not they are of age.
Wu 先生, I spend quite a bit of time chuckling. In all seriousness I agree that your point about the lying to get into junior competitions *may* be valid here.
LOL! Look what I was responding to. Like I said, you threw the health information in there for whatever reason first, not me and again you end your post discussing health.
And I was just answering to it, and each time after that. If you don't consider it talking about the topic at hand then fine no need for further discussion. The point I was trying to make a long time back here was that the Chinese girls are all comparatively small when compared to the US girls, even the ones that are not in question for been underaged. This to me means that the Chinese girls merely take longer to develop compared with their American counterparts. The US gymnastic team and other countries have many girls on their team who just turned 16 also, so its obvious everyone is trying to get the youngest gymnasts available. The Chinese girls could be already of age, just simply not as developed as the others. And I wish for your good health
