So What if The Chinese Female Gymnasts Are Young?
Other Sports August 24th. 2008, 8:14am
I got lazy with this article. There isn’t that much to say other then the USA Olympic Committee is a bunch of whiners. Don’t you have enough medals already?
You don’t need to tell me, those girls are NOT 16-years old, not even close. Sure they’re tiny and probably haven’t gone through puberty but here’s a simple way of thinking. (It may be entirely offensive but it’s a good analogy). Think of the age of consent laws. In Canada, the age of consent was moved up to 16 from 14 (thank god really) so if these Chinese gymnasts are 16…you could ask the proverbial question of would you hit it? (if you were single etc etc). If you say yes, please: a) Don’t tell me B) Don’t hang around parks.
Yes Asians are small but these girls look like they’re 7 even with the “asian” factor of the lack of hormones/height we sometimes seem to have.
Here’s the most important thing though. At 14, 12, 10 or so, these are the best athletes out there. They won gold, sure you can throw in “mental health” being a factor but it’s not. For a foreign country like the USA to complain - their intentions are set out for getting gold and more medals - not about the spirit of the law. So they can go screw themselves.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
The problem with the 14 year olds, and the underage not yet hit puberty aspect of these gymnasts is that it gives them an unfair advantage. Because their bones are not as developed, and they are composed of smaller bones they are more flexible, smaller and in a word, “springier”. The minimum age limit is there for a reason. It’s to prevent gymnasts from not being able to compete because they’ve finished puberty, so that athletes don’t have to retire from the sport at age 20, just because they physically don’t have the ability to do things that they could when they were younger.
August 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Flexibility is a big deal but I think that makes little difference after 10 years of age. Bones begin to fuse from birth so I doubt making them springier is a valid argument.
Most articles state it only about mental health, where people would be pushed hard at a young age. Nothing about younger athletes being more physical able.
If younger athletes in gymnastics were indeed better we would only be watching competitions with the best.
Gymnastics takes more then one physical attribute, namely flexibility/springiness as you would call it. Strength, agility, balance and experience and whatever the person’s age to win a gold medal it takes more then being 6 and having elite flexibility or else we would be seeing younger and younger gymnasts.
August 24th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
LOL. Should we guess whether you’d similarly consider it a non-issue if it’d been the US winning gold with a team packed with ineligible players?
That kinda bias says more about you than the intended target.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I would say the same thing if the US.
Calling out my biasedness? How about yours? Please that’s not even meaningful.
I could care less who won the medals (it wouldn’t even be a story if the US - did it, all the media outlets reporting are America, New York Times etc). but I think that’s the only reason why the US is complaining.
August 24th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Notwithstanding your brilliantly unbiased suggetion that Americans can go screw themselves… you obviously dont understand that there’s merit in holding all competitors to the same rules.
No biggie, like I said, your hostility says more about you than about others. Good luck dealing with that transparent inferiority complex.
August 24th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Okay. You can go screw yourself then. The americans who continue to complain can go screw themselves is what I said but you don’t know how to read between the lines so I’ll cut you some slack. Passive agressive jerk ;).
It’s not about holding people to the same rules but more to the spirit of the GAMES. Which is to have to the best natural athletes. An age limit shouldn’t make a difference, which the USA gymnastics team ADMITS. It’s the Times, and the USOC who’s doing the complaining not the actual teams.
You didn’t see the Chinese win the individual all-around competitions did you?
August 25th, 2008 at 12:01 am
OK, you’re right, the concept of a level playing field is NOT in keeping with the spirit of the Olympics, and you would be perfectly complacent if the US team won gold while obviously skirting the rules.
If it’s any consolation, Rogge would probably believe you… he doesn’t have the balls to say the truth either. ~ Bye
August 25th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Uh-huh. I don’t care about Rogge and “I” don’t care about the issue altogether. It’s also an issue because China’s had success. There wouldn’t be a complaint if they didn’t win a boat load of medals.
As I’ve stated before, being younger doesn’t really give them the advantage. Flexibility only goes so far, other attributes make up athletic performance. Regardless of age, these kids are still doing competitions all over the world and competing but NOT at the olympic level.
Age is not like steroids, the young age can be a hindrance.
September 5th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Does it matter who won the gold? It doesnt to me. What does mater is that someone may have cheated to get it.
Has anyone mentioned that competing before puberity also helps with balance? No hips no chest better center of gravity.
One more thing if they did cheat this affects every one not just AMERICANS.