Why is the age limit for the Olympics age 16? Why can't it be lower, like 13 for example?

Question

I mean the Chinese Olympic team, some girls obviously 16 yet but they still managed to kick America's butt, and all their players are 16 and up! It should just be if your good enough.

Answer 1

the chinese olympic team...is um, probably cheating. their governent would create fake passports too. but in china...kids are chosen at the age of 3 to start elite training...3! boys and girls dont start elite training in the usa until age 10

Answer 2

It depends on the sports governing body.

FIG (gymnasics) Currently, as per the 1997 regulation, gymnasts must be at least 16 years of age, or turning 16 within the calendar year, to compete in senior-level events. For the current Olympic cycle, in order to compete in the 2008 Olympics, a gymnast must have a birth date before January 1, 1993.

the youngest person in any event I can remember was Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie, who won gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games at the age of 13.

Answer 3

You can be younger the 16 to go into the olympics.

A 14teen year old was doing diving for us(gbr)

and a young girl was doing gymnastics for china she was only about 7ish

so u can be younger than 16

Answer 4

Well like someone said Britain had a youngester Tom Daly who was 14.  I suppose it should be a bit lower but not too much, 14 is young enough IMO

Answer 5

different events have different age limits for example britain has a 14 year old diver and i think either korea or japan had a 14 year old swimmer in 2004. but the reason kids cant participate in gymnastics is because they are more flexiblae and they provide an unfair advantage. its like steroids in baseball

Answer 6

Michael Phelps went to the Sydney Olympics when he was 15, I think thats might only be for gymnastics.

Answer 7

You have to be 14 to compete in the Olympics, 16 for gymnastics, I think that is the only age restriction. Some people are saying you have to be 16 because their hips are fully developed, if you are 14 they aren't and you spin faster...  

Answer 8

Younger girls have an unfair advantage because their bodies are presumably smaller and more nimble than older girls. They have the age requirement to prevent very young girls from training so hard at sports like this before their bones have matured and developed. It is the same with ballerina's. These girls have major bone and health problems later because their parents and coaches push them to do things their bodies are not ready for.

Answer 9

The Chinese girls admitted to the Chinese press earlier this year that they were 12 and 14 years of age. So no, they are not 16. The Chinese govt. gave them fake passports. It was all reported by the BBC and then a day later, China deleted the links to the interviews on their news sites. Hilarious!

And the US took home a gold, silver and bronze already and there are still individual events, which will really serve them well. China is actually not kicking anyone's butt. Especially when they're still the only ones to land on their tushes with both legs in the air, ahahaha.

The reason the age limit is 16 is because it's a standard Olympic rule for gymnastics. Everyone else follows it or suffers consequences when they don't. So why should the rest of the globe change and accommodate for cheaters? Not happening.

Answer 10

Britain had a 14 year old high diver so I don't know why gymnastics is different.