What is worse? Accusing the Chinese of cheating or accusing Phelps of cheating?

Question

Why is one OK but not the other?

I say both accusations would reek of jealousy.

Answer 1

I agree with the one commenter. Accusing goes both ways, how about you just don't accuse. Both have amazing achievements, no need to have a spasm. Why can't you just leave it at that?

Cherry E: Who said or even thinks Michael Phelps is cheating. He works way too hard to waste his effort on cheating. After all the training, an athlete like Michael wants to see the fruit of his labor.

So. Are you saying the Chinese don't work as hard? Or they would waste their effort cheating? So. Maybe the Chinese work just as hard and wouldn't waste their training if they were underage. Besides I bet China's second, third and fourth best team would probably win also. Have you even considered any factors in this? Obviously you know next to nothing about China. After all the training, a team like China would OBVIOUSLY want to see themselves win. Michael Phelps is an amazing athlete and so are the Chinese gymnasts.

Answer 2

If you accuse someone for cheating when there is no evidence then it is bad no matter what.

Michael Phelps is a swim legend and just because he wins medal after medal does not mean that he is on steroids! It is all his hard work that has paid off! =)

Answer 3

You took the words right out of my mouth Tha Phuncky Feel One  

Answer 4

>>Why is one OK but not the other?<<

Because there is actually evidence that China has cheated. If you have evidence Phelps has cheated, post it.

Changing birth dates:

"In Chinese newspaper profiles this year, He was listed as 14, too young for the Beijing Games.

"The Times found two online records of official registration lists of Chinese gymnasts that list He's birthday as Jan. 1, 1994, which would make her 14. A 2007 national registry of Chinese gymnasts - now blocked in China but viewable through Google cache - shows He's age as '1994.1.1.'

"Another registration list that is unblocked, dated Jan. 27, 2006, and regarding an 'intercity' competition in Chengdu, China, also lists He's birthday as Jan. 1, 1994. That date differs by two years from the birth date of Jan. 1, 1992, listed on He's passport, which was issued Feb. 14, 2008.

"The other gymnast, Jiang, is listed on her passport - issued March 2, 2006 - as having been born on Nov. 1, 1991, which would make her 16 and thus eligible to compete at the Beijing Games.

"A different birth date, indicating Jiang is not yet 15, appears on a list of junior competitors from the Zhejiang Province sports administration. The list of athletes includes national identification card numbers into which birth dates are embedded. Jiang's national card number as it appears on this list shows her birth date as Oct. 1, 1993, which indicates that she will turn 15 in the fall, and would thus be ineligible to compete in the Beijing Games."

An admission of cheating in 2000:

"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...

China's People's Daily newspaper stating He Kexin's age as 14 on May 23, 2008:

"Olympic gymnastics title contenders suddenly have one more thing to worry about other than the eight gold medals China claimed at the Tianjin World Cup last week. Her name is He Kexin.

"The 14-year-old newcomer to the national team, who was recruited last year, has raised a lot of eyebrows recently after she broke two world records on the uneven bars in as many months. She will be just one more weapon on an already star-studded Chinese Olympic squad."

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90779...

The opinion of a forensic expert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIcWaVGAZ...

Answer 5

Aren't people only accusing Phelps of cheating to demonstrate exactly how stupid it is to accuse the chinese of cheating?

It's like an allegory or something

Like if we accept (I don't agree with this BTW) that being under 16 is cheating, like many are saying about the chinese. Then the FACT that phelps was only 15 at the Sydney Olympics would also mean that he was a cheat (BTW I don't agree with that either).

So basically anyone who says the chinese cheated because of being under 16 are also saying that phelps cheated back at the Sydney Olympics. - not that I agree

Edit: the chinese gymnast ages are all available on the internet, google it and you will see that they are not underage.

Answer 6

They are equally bad.

If you don't like others accusing Michael Phelps, don't accuse the Chinese gymnasts. Likewise, if you are not happy with people accusing the Chinese gymnasts, don't accuse the others too.

This is never ending. Peace...

Answer 7

I think accusing of Phelps of cheating is worst!

China themselves already cheated once - the opening ceremony. Sorry i consider that as cheating! So hence, I'm not surprised if China Chinese cheat!

Everyone's jealous of Phelps winnings! Go Phelps!  

Answer 8

Either way whether either one is valid or not, this board is not used for that purpose.  You can ask questions about specifics of drug testing or age limitations, but ranting or asking a flawed questions on purpose just to get 35 responses of pointless and endless debate is an obvious abuse of Yahoo answers.  When it became clear that Marion Jones was cheating and you wanted to ask about that, then it's fine, but it still gives no reason to rant about how she acted obnoxious, etc.

Stick to the correct uses of the site and be courteous to everyone.

Answer 9

Phelps cheats much more than the Chinese... the American often cheats in swimming and track. look back in 2000 Olympic and you can find that how many USA athletes were banned. don't you feel strange that he can set a new world record in every single competition. Must be cheating...T_T  

Answer 10

Get away! Michael Phelps is actually under 16? Who'd have thought it.

Answer 11

I say, "innocent until proven guilty".

It is all full of c**p.  I say if the accusations are false, then we should send all the accusers to the Chinese firing squad to be shot.

Answer 12

How would Phelps have cheated?  I think it upsets people that Phelps is accused because no one is claimning HOW he's cheated.  They just think his ability to swim is supernatural, so they're throwing out accusations.  The Chinese have in the past allowed underage girls to compete, so they obviously have a record.  Also, one girl is missing a tooth (not common among 16-year-olds).  

Answer 13

Who said or even thinks Michael Phelps is cheating. He works way too hard to waste his effort on cheating. After all the training, an athlete like Michael wants to see the fruit of his labor.

The problem is there IS a rule about age limits for gymnastics, so if ANY country breaks that rule, they are cheating. In this case, China is the one whose girls ar so young. We are not jealous. We just want what is fair for one to be fair for all. A rule is a rule.

Answer 14

Well, since the Chinese actually ARE cheating, I would say accusing M. Phelps would be worse.