If it is determined that the Chinese women gymnists are under 16 should their medal be taken away?

I don’t know if they are or aren’t 16 (they don’t look it, but rigorous excersize regimens can cause that)...but if it were proven without a doubt that they’re not, then yes the medal should be taken away.

I’m with augustlan. Heavy athletics can retard development. Many young adult female athletes don’t even menstruate. You’d be surprised how old some off these “little girls” are. I certainly hope they are the proper age. If not I feel they should be stripped of their medals and I would hate for that to have to happen to anyone.

Absolutely; however, like the two above me said, the workouts that these atheletes go through are very, very rigorous. It’s amazing how too much exercise can through the body into a tailspin!

well they already made a determination that they are. and yes most gymnists look much younger than their actual age. the US girls dont really look their true ages either.

but you have to admit, they deserved it as far as talent. their routines were just cleaner and more crisp. i was impressed.

this is china we’re dealing with – i wouldn’t be surprised if the girls were coerced by the people’s democratic republic to participate. china maybe should be sanctioned, but not the girls

the chinese girls did a good job but it’s way easier to move a shorter body, smaller hips, less weight, than a taller body with more hips, etc. so the chinese girls do have an advantage, whether or not they’re smaller people anyway, the fact that they may be 12, 13, 14, gives them an automatic advantage over the americans. they should be stripped of their medals, i think, but it would be hard to prove they’re not 16, since the chinese government provided the passports that show their ages, and the chinese government has a vested interest in lying. they said in the new york times that the olympic committee has not made a big deal about it because they don’t want to insult the host country. meanwhile it’s just wrong, but hard to prove.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-flumenbaum/scandal-of-the-ages-docum_b_118842.html

kevbo: thanks for the great link – very informative and interesting. youda man.

thankee! ;-)