China gymnastics gets too much bad rap!

[Jeikun]

Then there's the age issue on the Chinese women's gymnastics team. I am quite sure that they are under age ... why?

 

1. Sources like this are hard to refute.

 

2. Countries do this ... I have personal knowledge. I had an ongoing business relationship with a moderately high ranking royal in an unnamed country. This guy's hobby was to run the youth soccer program and specifically the select national teams that competed internationally. He was always fielding boys 1, 2, or even 3 years older than the maximum age for a particular bracket. The boys were issued passports with false birth dates by that country's official passport agency. In my opinion, it is very likely that China has issued false passports for their child gymnasts.

 

 

I agree with you that it is likely. Just because many Americans are too hard on China, and misunderstand it, and mistrust it, and are uninformed about it, doesn't mean that any negative press about China is automatically wrong. Just as pride in the USA doesn't need to be taken to the point of blind redneck-patriotism beyond all reason, love for China need not become terminal Sinophilia.

 

And on another subject mentioned by the OP what's wrong with holding up Michael Phelps? The olympics are being broadcast in this country to an American audience who (for the mostpart) are rooting for their own country. Here is an amazing young man who is breaking records left and right, seems indestructible, and really shines in his performance and dedication. Compared to the garbage we normally idolize in this country, he's a shining beacon. Do you really think 99% of the US audience is sick of him and would rather see interviews with the slovakian underwater basket weaving team?

[tsap seui]

I find this all REALLY hilarious.

 

tsap seui

[rogerluli]

Rumor has it that Phelps is the product of a laison between a fisherman and a mermaid and has webbed fingers and toes...

[jim_julian]

Rumor has it that Phelps is the product of a laison between a fisherman and a mermaid and has webbed fingers and toes...

 

Damn near ... as I recall he has size 14 feet, not really huge, BUT his ankles flex considerably more than the normal human making them extra efficient flippers. Then there's that wingspan of his ...

[Guest WenDylan]

Rumor has it that Phelps is the product of a laison between a fisherman and a mermaid and has webbed fingers and toes...

 

Damn near ... as I recall he has size 14 feet, not really huge, BUT his ankles flex considerably more than the normal human making them extra efficient flippers. Then there's that wingspan of his ...

Being double jointed doesn't hurt either.

[LeeFisher3]

Then there's the age issue on the Chinese women's gymnastics team. I am quite sure that they are under age ... why?

 

1. Sources like this are hard to refute.

 

2. Countries do this ... I have personal knowledge. I had an ongoing business relationship with a moderately high ranking royal in an unnamed country. This guy's hobby was to run the youth soccer program and specifically the select national teams that competed internationally. He was always fielding boys 1, 2, or even 3 years older than the maximum age for a particular bracket. The boys were issued passports with false birth dates by that country's official passport agency. In my opinion, it is very likely that China has issued false passports for their child gymnasts.

The International Olympic Committee accepted their proof of age and there isn't much anyone can do unless they can prove otherwise.

[Minister]

Motivational secrets from China's World Champion Gymnastics Coach:

 

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8822/olympicly6.jpg

 

(Sorry... Couldn't resist) -_^

Edited August 15, 2008 by Minister (see edit history)

[IllinoisDave]

Then there's the age issue on the Chinese women's gymnastics team. I am quite sure that they are under age ... why?

 

1. Sources like this are hard to refute.

 

2. Countries do this ... I have personal knowledge. I had an ongoing business relationship with a moderately high ranking royal in an unnamed country. This guy's hobby was to run the youth soccer program and specifically the select national teams that competed internationally. He was always fielding boys 1, 2, or even 3 years older than the maximum age for a particular bracket. The boys were issued passports with false birth dates by that country's official passport agency. In my opinion, it is very likely that China has issued false passports for their child gymnasts.

 

 

I agree with you that it is likely. Just because many Americans are too hard on China, and misunderstand it, and mistrust it, and are uninformed about it, doesn't mean that any negative press about China is automatically wrong. Just as pride in the USA doesn't need to be taken to the point of blind redneck-patriotism beyond all reason, love for China need not become terminal Sinophilia.

 

And on another subject mentioned by the OP what's wrong with holding up Michael Phelps? The olympics are being broadcast in this country to an American audience who (for the mostpart) are rooting for their own country. Here is an amazing young man who is breaking records left and right, seems indestructible, and really shines in his performance and dedication. Compared to the garbage we normally idolize in this country, he's a shining beacon. Do you really think 99% of the US audience is sick of him and would rather see interviews with the slovakian underwater basket weaving team?

Ditto Jim and Jason.

[shushuweiwei]

Then there's the age issue on the Chinese women's gymnastics team. I am quite sure that they are under age ... why?

 

1. Sources like this are hard to refute.

 

2. Countries do this ... I have personal knowledge. I had an ongoing business relationship with a moderately high ranking royal in an unnamed country. This guy's hobby was to run the youth soccer program and specifically the select national teams that competed internationally. He was always fielding boys 1, 2, or even 3 years older than the maximum age for a particular bracket. The boys were issued passports with false birth dates by that country's official passport agency. In my opinion, it is very likely that China has issued false passports for their child gymnasts.

The International Olympic Committee accepted their proof of age and there isn't much anyone can do unless they can prove otherwise.

 

It's not a matter of accepting anything. The IOC is actively setting policy by stating that age verification is entirely up to the country sending the athlete. They've stated that they will not check even if proof is offered. America is following the rule of age requirement while China is saying that if it's up to us we'll say whatever age we want. Some people will call that cheating, some will not.

 

There is absolutely no question that the girls are underage. That isn't even an issue. You can't compete in the Chengdu games of 2007 as a 13 year old, receive a passport saying you are 16 in 2008, and compete in the Olympics as a 16 year old. Unless China has developed some sort of time manipulation technology, there is no question about the age of the athletes involved. (Anyway, I thought Chinese women aged slower not faster! )

 

I'm mainly surprised that China didn't realize that google caches pages and people could easily compare the old pages with their new edits. If you've followed it today, as another cached page is found and compared to the present page, China disables the link to that page. Something they should have done before the Olympics if they were planning to get away with it. Of course, maybe up until May 2008 she mistakenly believed she was born in 1994 and only just remembered when getting a passport to provide the China Olympic committee that she was born in 1992.

 

I think the only reasonable response to the IOCs stance is to openly compete with underage athletes from America and hand the IOC falsified passports and make no bones about it since they said its up to China and we won't check.

 

As for Bella Karoli, I think if what he was saying was not true, he'd be a sore loser. He's speaking the truth and it upsets him. If you feel bad because someone who broke the rules beat you, I think you have a legitimate gripe. I don't think that would constitute a sore loser.

 

Of course underage athletes only really matter in a few sports where decreasing flexibility and increasing size with age can hamper performance. It is a bit wierd that IOC would be so extreme in their dedication to avoid doping, presumably to avoid unfair advantage then basically say that breaking the rules in other ways to gain advantage is basically up to the countries themselves. If thems the rules of the games then I say just send all our tiny flexible 13 & 14 year olds to the next games with false passports as the IOC suggests. The girl who won uneven bars for China in 2000 has admitted she was underage and given a falsified passport without any repercussion so the US should just acknowledge the fact that this Olympic rule is just for show.

 

Of course, if they decide to suddenly enforce the rule once we catch on...then I'd be pissed.

[Minister]

I think what the Chinese government means to say is:

 

Training for Olympic positions actually begins as an egg in the mother's ovary, some three to five years before birth. It is rudimentary stretching for the first six months but it is still training. Based on this girls have been Olympians for at least sixteen years.

 

So, you see, it's no trouble.

 

And, when it all comes down to it, what are we gonna do? Go to war with China over a few little girls doing somersaults?

[pkfops]

You're right about reporters being scum.

 

I saw a local report this morning commenting about a group of children dressed in ethnic costumes to represent the regions of China during the Opening of the games.

 

The reporter said they were all "Hans" and not ethnic children.

 

The reporter is an ABC.

[Guest Mike and Lily]

I've been watching the olympics from GUZ. Reading your commentary gives me an interesting perspective of the differences in coverage between the USA and China. There's been a ton of gymnastics, ping pong and badminton. Some coverage of Phelps but not much. There seems to be more tennis too, since the chinese have had some success there also. The olympics are on about 50% of the channels here. So you can take your pick on what to watch.

 

Also, when they display the medal count, they put China as #1, because they only count golds, not the total medals!

Edited August 17, 2008 by Mike and Lily (see edit history)

[Guest WenDylan]

Also, when they display the medal count, they put China as #1, because they only count golds, not the total medals!

I noticed that too... but in all truth, what counts more? The number of total medals, or the number of gold medals only? I think is just in the eye of the beholder.

[tsap seui]

Why do they call these kid games "Olympics"?

 

It should be named "Controversary". ...They are cheating, we cheat too but HOW can THEY get away with it, the Russian "women" have beards, the Chinese women are too young, those guys are taking steroids, that ball was in bounds, the judges are biased....on and on ad pukem...

 

I am very happy the Chinese are doing good and they get to enjoy national pride, and yes, it's such a shame that the american kids aren't coming home with EVER... SINGLE... gold medal. Life just sucks sometimes doesn't it? These kiddie games are so important, why aren't we winning everything...oh yeah, it's because everyone else is cheating.

 

I'll admit, while sitting in a waiting room in a VA hospital I did see about 5 minutes of the "Controversary Games". Luckily for me it what I saw wasn't of any events, they were doing quick human interest clips with shots of China and the average people. It made me so homesick to see the lil' rabbitand our family that I found myself with moist eyes. I hope those average people weren't cheating somehow...maybe they were high roller actors dressed in average peoples clothing pretending to be going about their average everyday routines.

 

 

tsap seui

[rogerluli]

Also, when they display the medal count, they put China as #1, because they only count golds, not the total medals!

I noticed that too... but in all truth, what counts more? The number of total medals, or the number of gold medals only? I think is just in the eye of the beholder.

 

I read somewhere that most every country in the world counts the gold medal tally as the actual count...but the US counts total medals...kind of like the metric vs english system...The US is right and the rest of the world is wrong...