Can you really tell if any of the Chinese gymnasts are under-aged?

Question

Lots of people (in the media) have been saying that the Chinese gymnasts look too young to be 16, and that it's "obvious".

I think these people are full of it.

Can you look at the following picture and honestly tell me that you know exactly who is under-aged and who is not?

http://media.gatewaync.com/wsj/photos/2008/08/15/oly-underage.jpg

I think if any one of these girls were accused of being under-aged, everyone would say, "well, of course she is!"

The fact is, all asians look young compared to their european counterparts.

Answer 1

The guys seem to all be 16.

But some of the girls would be lucky if they were 12.

Answer 2

When I look at those girls, I seriously see eight year olds. Sure, it's possible a few of them are sixteen, but all of them? No way.

UPDATE: I don't know it for a fact, and I can't immediately tell. But I do know Chinese sixteen year olds, and none of them look like that. Even if those girls are gymnasts. I don't whole-heartedly care about their age, but you know... it's kind of weird they look so young.

Answer 3

I know, people should stop accusing the chinese about their "underage" gymnasts. There is no proof, if their passports say they are 16, then there is nothing you can do. I can not tell, they all look young, but at least 16, because all asians do look young. Even the 20 year old looks like she is really really young, like 15 or something, but she is obviously 20 because why would chinese lie and say she is 20 when the age limit is 16 lmao. Thank you for not bashing on the chinese. You are a smart one.

Answer 4

There is no way that ANY of them are over 16.

Shawn C.

Answer 5

  Hahaahhaaha, I really agree with it. And I think it's really wrong for america to attack their age. Do they want the gold THAT much. Plus, if they're better, than they're better, who cares about their age.

Answer 6

I agree. They all look young, most chinese people look young (lucky them). One of the American gymnasts looks likes she's 12 too, but nobody accused her. Why?

Answer 7

because its a rule that you have to be 16.  And for the love of God its not just in america's interest (there they go again) there are gymnast all over the world that should be able to compete in a fair environment...the smaller you are the easier it is to do events like beam...smaller is an advantage. And yes all but the last girl in that picture look very young in that picture.

Answer 8

Several months ago, the documentation for most of these girls showed them to be around 13 or 14.  Now the documentation shows them to be at least 16.  So yes, they are under-aged.

Answer 9

I strongly agree with "adaywithoutpollution".

Who knows? The Chinese might have stunt their growth doing heavy training for the Olympics.

Chinese look younger than they appear. Heck, Some people Estimates their age oh how they look. A 50 year old women looks 35. But her birth certificate and her passport backs her up as age 50.

Answer 10

No it's impossible to tell really. I know for sure the team captain Cheng Fei is 20 because I have been watching her before and since the last olympic games. It's only a couple of the new gymnasts that are in questions. A couple of others have been competing for the last few years so their ages were already established years ago.  

Answer 11

I truly believe and agree with the media. Some girls do look 16+, but I see 10 year olds when I look at the girls. Sure, the will look younger compared to some of the other girls.

But you have to see that in china, especially in the rural areas, china doesn't keep good birth records.

And, it is obvious...

hope you understand now!  

Answer 12

For starters, the "proof" people speak does not refer to all of the Gymnasts. There has been no dispute on Cheng Fei and it is perfectly well documented that this Gymnast is 20. So to start off with, that shows anyone who insists *all* of them are under 16 that they are making a mistake by trying to judge on looks alone.

The disputes are on He Kexin, Yang Yilin and, Jiang Yuyuan.

Li Shanshan and Deng Linlin, although people may 'suspect' have no pseudo-proof against them.

So, without looking it up, just looking at the image, which ones are He Kexin, Yang Yilin and Jiang Yuyuan since there is alleged proof. I reckon I could pick if ya'll looked it up too. LOL

Right now, there is no compelling proof to dispute their ages.