What is the age requirement for women's gymnastics in the olympics!?

Question

I thought I heard one of the announcers say that it was 16, but then in a caption under one of China's competitors it said that she was 15. I personally feel that a couple of those girls look a couple years younger than that even based on facial/body development, but maybe that's a racial thing. I don't know any 16 year old Chinese girls to compare them to. haha

Answer 1

Well,many Chinese people tend to be shorter just like Europeans tend to be taller so who knows

I do think the age thing is fishy,but people knew how these girls looked like before the Olympics started

Why question their age now?

Is it because they beat the American athletes?

It's pathetic when people turn the Olympics into a political event

Answer 2

I believe the rule is that the athlete must turn 16 by December 31 of the competition year - in this case by December 31, 2008. Under that rule, it is possible to have athletes that are up to 4 months shy of 16 competing in the Olympics.

What would be a sad situation is if you have someone like Shawn Johnson who's birth day is January 19 and she had to wait 4 more years to go to the Olympics due to a mere 19 days. Granted, if you're going to have age restrictions there will always be cases where an otherwise eligible athlete falls on the wrong side of the cutoff. Maybe the better way would be to have a age cutoff, but provide for exceptions if an athlete has reached certain benchmarks in international competition.

Answer 3

No if you look back the caption was under the Russian gymnast 'Ksenia Semenova' who is 15 but is allowed to compete due to the fact that she was already the World Champion in the uneven bars event before the finals of that day took place.

You need to get your facts straight.

Answer 4

must be age 16 by December 31st of the Olympics year.

Answer 5

16 or turning 16 that year, that is the rule. I've heard that three chinese girls are underage. They are trying to find proof again to bust them, but don't know if they will.

Answer 6

they can be 15, just as long as by the 31dec they turn 16...

and if you noticed the Japanese girls are of the same, and no ones accused the japanese to be underage...

Answer 7

they have to be 16 or turning 16 the olympic year but there's been a lot of controversy about China's real ages.

Answer 8

If your Chinese, none.

Answer 9

the minimum age is 16. there are some 15 year old gymnasts because they will turn 16 later in the year.