How can we prove that the Chinese Gymnast (He) is not 16?

Question

It seems with today's technology there ought to be a way. Has she not been in international competition before? Hasn't her career been followed?

Answer 1

she is 16.  americans are sore loser.  they always cry when they lose.

Answer 2

Why do people yell at the "sore loser" Americans in this situation? If an athlete on team USA was suspected of being underage or cheating, don't you think the Chinese (being another major contender) would be doubtful as well? I don't think it has anything to do with being sore losers, or being "typical Americans", considering the situation was under investigation before the competition.

As far as congratulating her - Sure. Congratulations on your performance. BUT, if you cheated (violation of an Olympic RULE) your medal should be taken away. I don't care about the outcome, I pay no attention to gymnastics nor do I really care if USA takes the gold, but I can't stand cheating, regardless of the rule violation. But what I really can't stand, are the people who yell at us for wanting to know the truth. Why not investigate it? CHINESE news sources have published her age at 13 and 14, does that make us sore losers for wanting an investigation into the possibility of someone cheating in the Olympics? I mean, I give all the credit to her in the world for being able to do something like that at 14, but the rule is - Only athletes 16 years of age or older can compete, enough said.

PS - I'm sure I saw her missing baby teeth as well... interesting. Maybe something in the Soy?

Answer 3

Short of say, finding a birth certificate with her name and a dob that says she is under 16 - you've got buckleys of proving anything.

You will need a whole lot more than a "supplied" DOB for it to be considered proof.

Answer 4

I am a proud patriotic American.  However, this is such a stupid debate...and to bring Lance Armstrong into this is rediculous.  The Chinese gymnasts weren't using performace enhancing drugs or blood doping.  Big deal, she's younger than 16...the only ones to blame our our gymnasts...they choked big time.  Had we won, no one would be saying anything.

Grow up.

Answer 5

Just because someone looks under 16 doesn't mean they are. All you people are judging just by watching it on TV. *clap clap*

How about just congratulating the girl for her achievement? complaining is what sore losers do.

Answer 6

Forget all you haters especially if your American those Chinese are way to young and if you don't think so you are smoking crack and you need to move to China try living over there I bet you would die because you deserve to so go to China and die cause those girls are so young they need to finish grade school they should be stripped of their medals and never be allowed to compete again!!!!!

Answer 7

No, you can't prove it.

Why do you want to?

All the athletes, regardless of the country they are from or their age, have worked EXTREMELY hard to get to the Olympics and must be so honored to have qualified.

You really want to take that great feeling away from someone?

Answer 8

I'm not american and could care less who actually won, but the rules were meant to be there for the safety of the athletes.  A body isn't developed by age 14 and all the training for this can stunt the growth.  Plus, for certain aspects of gymnastics, its easier to perform the with a smaller body.  look at Nadia Comaneci....she was 14 in 1976 and dominated....the next olympics, she was a shell of her former self.  

so for whoever said that these same girls will be performing at the next olympics....it is highly unlikely that any will still be in the sport at that time.  They are pushed so hard at a young age that they  are highly probably to burn out.  I've speedskated at high levels and have seen the Korean "womens" short track team.  I dont think i've ever seen a member of the team over the age 20...they normally hit there peak at 16.

anyways, we will never know if they are under 16 unless one of them admits it.....I just hope that China didn't hand out fake passports in order to win, which goes against everything that the Olympics should stand for

Answer 9

I think Jannelle summed up what most unbiased people think you that is that you can't prove something thats not true.  

Answer 10

The gymnast are NOT underaged!! Why need prove when they are not underaged.

Sometimes you can't judge a person's height and weight and appearances to determine their age.  Just because you have a baby face, doesn't mean you are still young.  The americans keep on saying that the Chinese Gymnasts are underaged and that the americans should win the gold medal instead. Different countries have their own diets  and Asian diets are mostly soy and vegetables while the American diets are mostly meats.  So it makes their weight different and more skinny looking.  It does not mean the gymnasts are not 16.  h**l, I am in the early 20s but people thought I am 15.  Besides, why would the Chinese need to put their underaged gymnast in the Olympics? It makes them seems like they don't have any gymnast who are good enough.  4 years later, the Chinese gymnast will be 4 years older.  Does it mean that they will say they are 16 instead of 20?  I believe that when you see them again 4 years later, they will be 20.

Answer 11

Chinese girls have delayed puberty (compared to Westerners) on average AS IS. Just sayin' - it's the norm in my entire extended family to get their periods between the ages 16-18. I was an early bloomer at 14. I looked 12 when I was 16, and I'm just a normal, average girl who did not go through intensive training. Add on the factor of low body fat percentage as an athlete, and you get tiny-looking girls who look a few years younger than their true ages. I don't know why there's so much controversy about this - seriously, just...accept it, because more whining about China cheating just makes Americans look like sore losers.

Older gymnast = more experience = better performance (at least in the mid-teens). So why would China deliberately take away from their chance at gold by shoving in underaged gymnasts who can't do the advanced moves? Why would they shoot themselves in the foot?

Answer 12

carbon dating.  nuff said.   :P

Answer 13

I mean i'm sure they could somehow, but it would cause conflicts with the governments and that wouldn't be very good. There is not much we can do. There documents say they are 16, so whatever. Just think they will have to say they are older their whole life, thats going to suck.

Answer 14

I think the best we can hope for is that she admits it, like Yang Yun:

"Yang Yun of China won individual and team bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and later said in an interview on state-run television that she had been 14 at the time of those Games. A Hunan Province sports administration report also said later that she had been 14 when she competed in Sydney."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/sports...

Answer 15

Please, do not post articles like this one. If you have a problem with the fact that America lost then it is YOUR problem and others shouldn't have to have it be made their problem by listening to you complain about the results.(btw I too am american yet Idc about the outcomes. -___-)

OMG once again I must say that I DON'T CARE. I have better things to do then get all excited or down and waste my time watching the olympics when school is coming up for me -___-

I have to STUDY for SCHOOL. (Last year I didn't do all that well.)

Answer 16

why do people complain about this question yet still answer it.seems to me you need a life and suck at trying to find the truth.oh wait a minute maybe your chinese or just hate america?thank you zack for being an idiot.the village called they lost there idiot.is there a reward?well bg the problem with your logic is if that there not old enough to compete they shouldnt win,period,end of story ya complete moron

Answer 17

BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT UNDERAGE !

Oh my God, if i see one more question from some american whining im going to lose my mind, everybody is getting fed up with you guys, they bet you fair and square and you're being sore losers and making a fool of yourselves, if they had came second and you won gold then youwouldnt care whether they were under age or not would you?

Answer 18

Wow some of you guys are ridiculous.

Sure, it probably wouldn't be a big deal if she hadn't placed first. But that still wouldn't make it right. Let's say for the sake of this argument that Phelps turned out to be underage. Would nobody care? Would you just expect everyone to say "QuIT BEinG SoRe looZers OMG"?

Phelps won his last race by .01 and it was instantly contested by the Serbians. Would anyone have cared if he was 4th or last? No. But since he won, people want to know it was fair and within all the rules.

Letting someone get away with lying about their age affects more than just who placed first or second in a couple of events. It's not fair to the potential 14-15yr olds who chose not to lie about their ages so they could participate at Beijing. If there is a rule it should be enforced, regardless if you place 1st or dead last.