Chinese gymnasts use fake passports to get around Olympic age requirements

Geez. You really are uninformed. 12-13 is the ideal age for girls' gymnastics. Nastia Liukin was 10x better 4 years ago when she was 14, but the U.S. gymnasts actually follow the rules and she didn't compete.

The IOC won't do anything because the Chinese government (a communistic & totalitarian regime) "provided them with the gymnasts' [fake]passports, which is all they can check." A Chinese gymnast (who won medals) from the 2000 Olympics even came out recently and admitted she was only 14 in those Olympics. The problem is that the age rule is insane. They IOC didn't take those medals away from the girl who admitted it, so the Chinese figure there are no consequences to violating the age rule. If the IOC wants to turn a blind eye, that's fine. Eliminate the rule so there's a level playing field.

Like it or not, China is the new East Germany - Cheaty McCheatertons, all of them.

They can try to do their weird hypnosis with Opening Ceremonies, but not all of us are buying it.

I concur.

As an aside, how do people learn to flip around on the parallel bard without landing on their heads and breaking their necks?

marijuologist:

Very good question! Maybe because they're robots. Or little magical gnomes.

or maybe the ones who didn't learn are paralyzed!

King your a idiot-- like the other person stated it has been proven in a article and on tv when the girls themselves said they were 12 and 13 - you say about the IOC - they cant do anything cause in the olympic rules - the only proof they need is a valid passport- nothing else- not even a birth certificate- before you open your mouth read first you idiot and learn- so as said the goverment gives them fake passports to show they are legal even tho there are not- what you cant add 2 plus 2 and see it equals 4 - u idiot-- the girls say they are 12 but have a passport that says they are 16 -- are you a idiot - anyone can figure its fake- but now they have to prove it thru their goverment and for some reason all the birth records are lost - and the reason they dont let girls under 16 in gymnastics u moron is that their bodies are different if you cant figure that out u moron- they are smaller and shorter leggs and lighter and more flexable and nimble to do more stuff- thats why a 12 yoa shouldnt be able to beat a 16 yoa- but they can as you see on the 16 and up on the USA team- they are taller and have longer leggs and they have longer strides and it makes it harder to do a routine and stay in bounds - but for china u moron it makes it a ton eaiser you must be the king of morons and under 16 is for the jr olympics - thats what its for u moron.

do not laugh...

but a chinese friend of mine showed me her 3 different ID cards; the family name was the same, but the given name was slightly tweaked in each of them (and also the place/DOB).

I asked her how she could get them (having therefore 3 different official identities)... answer: "government relationship"

I have another friend (ethnic chinese but a foreigner) that got 2 different ID cards (incredible!!) from some local government as a reward for helping the local area with some investment, plus charity.

So he can play "chinese national" or "foreigner" at his will based on the convenience...

this is about how to get a "good" passport in China

Yes, the Chinese are cheating commie bastards. It's already been proven numerous times over. What it comes down to is the American's choked when it mattered most and that is why China won.

Coffee is for closers.

hhhmmm Bob Costas just asked Bela Keroli if a younger girl is more capable than an older and he said NOOOOOOOOO. He said there is absolutely no differance so you are the one that sounds like a MORON with all you so called expertees. Bela said his only problem was that the rest of the countries might have athletes who might be competitive but are not allowed to compete because of their age. He said that in his opinion, they should just do away with the age limit so that everybody with the talent to compete at this level is allowed to compete.

Look, if the IOC can't do anything about it and if China is really allowing these underage girls to compete then other countries should do the same. If they have underage talented athletes, stick them in there and falsify their passports. The IOC isn't doing anything about it, then that should tell everybody they really don't care if you break the age rule. Until the IOC fixes this problem people should break the rule.

The way the girls look does nothing to tell their age. The U.S. girls look bigger because the U.S is the second tallest country in the world (only behind the Dutch) and as you all know we are also the heaviest, and I don't know about China, but surely they must be one of the shortest and thinnest. The genetic makeup of the two nations is just night and day. If you compare the Chinese girls to the U.S. girls, they might look underage, but put them next to a regular Chinese girl they look the same age. I was looking at the oldest Chinese girl who is 20 and she looks just as young as the rest of the team. So looks don't tell you how old someone is.

You guys are just hurting because the Chinese took down the U.S. in gymnastics two nights in a row and now are finding every excuse in the book to make yourselves feel better. I just have to ask. Does it hurt? It's just a game kids you'll feel better by tomorrow haha.

king wrote:

Look, if the IOC can't do anything about it and if China is really allowing these underage girls to compete then other countries should do the same. If they have underage talented athletes, stick them in there and falsify their passports. The IOC isn't doing anything about it, then that should tell everybody they really don't care if you break the age rule. Until the IOC fixes this problem people should break the rule.

You guys are just hurting because the Chinese took down the U.S. in gymnastics two nights in a row and now are finding every excuse in the book to make yourselves feel better. I just have to ask. Does it hurt? It's just a game kids you'll feel better by tomorrow haha.

The reason why people are getting pissed off is simple. Countries like the US that try and be as ethical as possible (no systematic doping regimes, personal choice in sports, etc) end up getting played by those that don't (see: China, East Germany, other Soviet sports machines). Dropping down to the China's (and the others') level solves nothing.

Honestly? Do you want to live in a country with a government that falsifies passports? Or should individuals and coaches committ the federal offense on their own?

U.S. Ethical????

Is droping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians on purpose ethical?

Invading the sovereign country of Iraq ethical?

Water boarding and torture in Guantanamo to people who have never been tried under the court of law or proven guilty of any crime ethical?

Our treatment of African Americans, Native Americans, and inprisonment of U.S. citizens of japaneese decent ethical?

I could go on and on, so for you to say the U.S. is ethical is a joke. I know you will say that that has nothing to do with sports, so let me give you examples in sports.

Trevor Grahm's sytematic doping program, Marion Jones, C.J Hunter, Tim Montgomery, Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Barry Bonds and the entire sport of Beisball for that matter, Justin Gatlin, Kelly White, BALCO, Floyd Landis, Alvin and Calvin Harrison, and Jessica Hardy just at the top of my head. ETHICS??????? Really????

Trust me the U.S. is not getting played by anybody. If anythign our athletes have the best technology and the most advanced methods to beat the system. Just ask Trevor Grahm. You can lie to yourself as much as you want and try and convince yourself that our country is pure and clean and innocent, but your just fooling yourself and that's about it.

SeniorElGimpo wrote:The reason why people are getting pissed off is simple. Countries like the US that try and be as ethical as possible (no systematic doping regimes, personal choice in sports, etc) end up getting played by those that don't (see: China, East Germany, other Soviet sports machines). Dropping down to the China's (and the others') level solves nothing.

AHAHAHAHA, US Ethical? Though I love the U.S. but we are far from ethical.

Carl Lewis positive test 1988 Seoul, search it up in google.

Well, I do live in a country where the government falsifies information to convince congress and the American public to go to war!!

Don't get me wrong, I love this country and I accept it for all it is good and bad, but we are in no place to criticize other countries for things we are just as guilty of doing. I'ma not going to continue with this political conversation because this is not the place for it.

You all are just hurt because those Chinese kids just kicked out butts, and because China is doing such a great job running the games. You all need to learn how win and loose gracefully and not go around trying to make the winning team look bad just because we didn't win the gold. Give credit where credit is due. The Chinese girls performed great, we didn't so they won! get over it, we lost in gymnastics. We will come again strong in other sports, so quit your crying!!

I haven't watched it yet. Did the Americans cry?

I'll be the first one to criticize my own government, especially on its war. I asked a question. I did not issue a criticism (although I think it would be perfectly fine if I did - people can criticize policies other countries without having to criticize their own in the same breath, every time). You did not answer my question. You are trying to respond to others' criticisms or questions of your argument by calling them crybabies. It makes you look like a child.

how is this any different from the Kenyans and Ethiopians competeing at World Juniors when they are over age?

It's almost the same - Americans whining about the age of another nation's athletes after they lose to them. Too old, too young, too doped, too good...Too bad.

The perfect response from the USA will be for Nastia Luikin and Shawn Johnson to take 1-2 in the all-around finals. In any order.

Just stinks that injuries forced the US into this position. If Chelsie Memmel wasn't injured, more than likely, Alicia Sacramone wouldn't have been in the position to essentially 'lose' it for the team...

My wife is a former gymnast, I know waaaay more about this sport than I ever thought I would (same goes for her with running and baseball :))