2008 Olympics: Chinese Gymnasts/Medal Debate.

[CrazyXEpicGymnast]

Hi, so I am doing a research paper on the controversy of the Chinese gymnasts ages at the 2008 Olympics, and whether or not they should get their medals stripped like they did in the 2000 Olympics. I am wondering if you guys had any opinions about it, and if you knew of any research databases that pertained to my subject. Let me know, asap. Thanks so much lovelies!

 

[Forever23]

Argument: They keep the medals
They won... their best beat our best. Case closed.

Counter argument: strip them (of their medals)
If you know the rules before you play the game (and decide to play)
Don't bi*ch and complain when they (the rules) don't work in your favor.



I support the counter argument...

However, once the shadow of doubt is cast on a subject, or accusations are made. Its impossible to convince everyone that they are untrue. Even with Concrete evidence supported by the Chinese Govt, people who believe they were cheated will immediately cry "Conspiracy" at the highest levels.

Until these girls are living outside China and willing to do a tell-all interview on CNN... We'll never know for sure...

Although, they could be lying in the interview just for the future BOOK / MOVIE deal... haha

 

[Deleted member D3987]

they lied about their ages. i have never seen a kid lose their "baby" teeth at 16 year old...

 

[Chocoholic]

they lied about their ages. i have never seen a kid lose their "baby" teeth at 16 year old...

I can only hope that you are right! My about to be 13 son still has baby teeth that are not wanting to leave his body. The dentist is giving his teeth six more months to cooperate.

 

[AlwaysCuriousMom]

The problem is that it's China's secret to give away. It would be the only way to be caught (as in the case of the underage gymnast in 2000). Every/any publication coming out of China is govt controlled. Any official document could have been created and planted by the Chinese govt. It can even be the case that some of the birthdays were never officially documented and just made up later. If I were to write a research paper, I would spend part of my paper on the involvement of the Chinese govt in the sport, and on the media; just to allow for the possibility that official birth certificates/ passports cannot be used as a determining factor in the case.

While the "baby teeth" theory is a good one, also remember that in many places, it's quite common to pull damaged teeth without replacing it with an implant, or getting a crown.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i understand that ^^^. those gymnasts in question now all have their adult teeth. this comes from reliable sources there in their own country. LOL.

 

[Empowered]

I think a lot of people are forgetting about the documents that were on the internet and disappeared when people started linking them after the Olympics. One definitely had He Kexin's birthday as a year later at one point making her too young... It was pulled down and the site locked and when it magically was re-released by the ever so honest, open and trustworthy Chinese government, the date had been changed.

There was also a video interview with her at 10ish where the age she said she was at the time, didn't match her competition age at the Olympics.

When you couple the missing teeth with the video and the sketchy documents, you can't help but smell a rat... Not to mention they have cheated before and lost medals because of it.

 

[J&A's mom]

I don't believe the teeth part for a second. I have teeth like her because we couldn't afford braces. Also, I had many of my baby teeth removed because they didn't fall out.

But the fact that He Kexin competed one age for some of her career, and then suddenly became a different age, at some point they lied. They lied to make her younger at one competition, or older at another competition. Which are people supposed to believe is correct? We could have had Becca Bross out there in Beijing or Nastia Liukin out there in Athens, but we didn't. Those two could have changed the silvers into golds.

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

four months before the Olympic games, He Kexin was registered as a 14 year old. I'm not sure which side I'm on yet...
The age limit should be taken away so gymnasts of all ages can compete. If a gymnast is good enough, they should be able to compete.
On the other hand, their bodies are smaller and more flexible. They should be stripped of their medals. They broke the rules and deserve to pay the price.