There have been world champion 14 year olds in the past. Back when it was legal to compete at that age.
Some sports require flexibility as much as strength, and at 14 you won’t be throwing nearly the same weight around as a 20 year old, but have much greater flexibility. Given that there have been other world champions at the age of 14, I’d say that it could quite possibly be the peak age.
World champions are consistently getting younger.
Puberty also changes a girl’s center of gravity and balance. Sixteen year olds are far enough through puberty to have already had to train through those changes–or still be training through them. 13 and 14 year old girls DO have an advantage-especialy on beem and floor, because they’re lighter, quicker, and likely still have more childlike body proportions–they have better balance. Yes, by the way, I heard many times–back when I was a little girl who loved to tumble–that changes in balance and flexibility meant that most female gymnasts peak at 14. That’s why it’s really unfair to be playing against these young girls–and likely why cheating didn’t work–the only girls who can stay on such a high level of performance are the ones who trully are very outstanding–with skill that can overcome all this.
We know that paperwork is just a formality, anyway. I think it just makes the gold medal winner’s accomplishments that much more impressive.
International Olympic Committee launches probe into He Kexin’s age
Back to cram school baby… 
uh…this is kind of sick. Maybe Gary Glitter wants her autograph?
Or is he only bangin’ adolescent boys?..
If this is true then isn’t there something wrong with rules barring 14 years old from completing. Seems kind of odd to prevent people at their prime to compete on the world stage.
Sounds like a cold war issue, if the investigation is launch by an US cyber cop. Yes let’s believe everything found in a search engine cache…
If this is true then isn’t there something wrong with rules barring 14 years old from completing. Seems kind of odd to prevent people at their prime to compete on the world stage.
Sounds like a cold war issue, if the investigation is launch by an US cyber cop. Yes let’s believe everything found in a search engine cache…[/quote]
No, let’s believe the Chinese government. 
They have nothing to hide and are as honest as the day is long – even though China’s state media have been reporting her extensive competition last year in the under-14 category.
Arrogant slimy cheating shitbags. Meanwhile, 10,000 disappeared Tibetans and 140 unarmed Tibetans murdered this week by the dirty fuckers. The glory of China, indeed.
If this is true then isn’t there something wrong with rules barring 14 years old from completing. Seems kind of odd to prevent people at their prime to compete on the world stage.
Sounds like a cold war issue, if the investigation is launch by an US cyber cop. Yes let’s believe everything found in a search engine cache…[/quote]
Isn’t the rule in place to protect young children from being turned into manufactured athletes at too young an age? That is what China has done with a lot of their athletes U.S.S.R syle.
[quote]
No, let’s believe the Chinese government. 
They have nothing to hide and are as honest as the day is long – even though China’s state media have been reporting her extensive competition last year in the under-14 category.
Arrogant slimy cheating shitbags. Meanwhile, 10,000 disappeared Tibetans and 140 unarmed Tibetans murdered this week by the dirty fuckers. The glory of China, indeed.[/quote]
lol. Sandman can kiss goodby ever receiving a China visa!
Breaking news:
BEIJING (AP) – The International Olympic Committee said Friday it had asked gymnastics officials to investigate whether the Chinese women’s gymnastics team that won the gold medal had underage athletes, saying “more information has come to light.”
“We’ve asked the gymnastics federation to look into it further,” IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said. “If there is a question mark and we have a concern, which we do, we ask the governing body of any sport to look into it.”
I definitely think the IOC should get rid of the minimum age rule for female gymnastics, or at least lower the age limit. It simply doesn’t make sense to ban people who are in their prime from competing. Besides, female gymasts have short enough careers already(only up to their early 20’s), why shorten their careers even more by saying you can’t compete unless you’re 16.
And look at this
kansascity.com/190/story/758643.html
[quote]Two elderly Chinese women who applied to hold a protest during the Olympics were ordered to spend a year in a labor camp, a relative said Wednesday.
The women were officially notified they would have to serve a year-long term of “re-education” through labor and were under surveillance by a government-backed neighborhood group, said Li Xuehui, the son of one of the women.
Li said no cause was given for the order to imprison his 79-year-old mother, Wu Dianyuan, and her neighbor Wang Xiuying, 77.
“Wang Xiuying is almost blind and disabled. What sort of re-education through labor can she serve?” Li said. “But they can also be taken away at any time.”
The elderly women, Wu and Wang, make unlikely activists. Li said they have been fighting since being kicked out of their Beijing homes in 2001 to make way for redevelopment.
They complained to district officials, then to city authorities and finally demonstrated 16 times this year. After Beijing announced the Olympic protest zones, Wu and Wang applied repeatedly for a permit but failed to get one.
The re-education system, in place since 1957, allows police to sidestep the need for a criminal trial or a formal charge and directly send people to prison for up to four years to perform penal labor.[/quote]
Wow, so they can take away your house but if you apply for a permit to protest they can ship you off to a work camp without charge.
We don’t like the rules, therefore we’ll simply cheat. Interesting take. As to why shorten their careers, look at the history. That’s why. It fucks them up. Not that that matters to China, of course – what’s a few destroyed children compared to the glory of the motherland, after all?
Oh, I don’t know, protecting children from exploitation sounds like a good reason to me.
Then what about the junior olympics? 14 year old & younger children compete in those all the time.
Is the entire junior olympic program exploiting children as well.
If this is true then isn’t there something wrong with rules barring 14 years old from completing. Seems kind of odd to prevent people at their prime to compete on the world stage.
Sounds like a cold war issue, if the investigation is launch by an US cyber cop. Yes let’s believe everything found in a search engine cache…[/quote]
See, the reason nobody has any respect for you, is the fact that you are so predictable. We know what stand you are going to make, and that would be standing on the side of the Chinese government no matter what. We can never expect an unbiased opinion from you, because all of your xxxx posts carry exactly the same message.
Seriously, are you paid by them or are you a blind fool? Is your job to glorify the achievements of the motherland? Are you a cleverly designed spam bot designed by a Chinese mainland programmer?
They’re stupid, too, if they thought the Bamboo Curtain was going to be enough to hide the truth from shining through during the Olympics. Stupid and evil always seem to go hand-in-hand. Let’s hope it stays that way so we little guys always have a fighting chance.
Hoist the banner of freedom and justice for the Beijing Grandmas, Wu Dianyuan and Wang Xiuying!
[quote=“ac_dropout”]Then what about the junior olympics? 14 year old & younger children compete in those all the time.
Is the entire junior olympic program exploiting children as well.[/quote]
You really are dead from the stomach down.
The junior Olympics is a minor event that has neither the prestige nor importance of the Olympics. Hence athletes are not pushed in anywhere near the same degree by their respective countries since there is little national glory to be gained.
As an anology, I don’t oppose 12 year old taking tests, but I do oppose them taking entrance exams that will determine their future. Competition is fine for younger children but up to a point. Competing on a world stage at a young age leads to all kinds of emotional and sometimes physical issues in later life. Imagine peaking at 14 years of age?
If this is true then isn’t there something wrong with rules barring 14 years old from completing. Seems kind of odd to prevent people at their prime to compete on the world stage.
Sounds like a cold war issue, if the investigation is launch by an US cyber cop. Yes let’s believe everything found in a search engine cache…[/quote]
See, the reason nobody has any respect for you, is the fact that you are so predictable. We know what stand you are going to make, and that would be standing on the side of the Chinese government no matter what. We can never expect an unbiased opinion from you, because all of your xxxx posts carry exactly the same message.
Seriously, are you paid by them or are you a blind fool? Is your job to glorify the achievements of the motherland? Are you a cleverly designed spam bot designed by a Chinese mainland programmer?[/quote]
Uhm yeah, like individuals that parrot the English news media demonstrate the ability to think as individuals.
I mean seriously what about the international junior olympic program? Is that exploitation of children? It only illustrate the fundimental lack of understanding of the issue by people who never had international sporting experience.
Because what I see as the real issue is the medal count and one super-power is losing the gold medal count by quite a margin. Not to mention the overall medal count is less than a hand full now. Wouldn’t the cold war paradigm force the established super-power in maintaining their medal count supremacy with whatever method neccessary. Even if it meant contesting every medal in the games?
We could play race card too…Only a Russian with an American passport win in gynastics. Only an American brainwashed by a Chinese coach ever have a chance to win in gynastics.
In other words Americans can’t win gold on their own. They don’t have a knowledge capital in the sport to make champions…
If the allegations are true, the story is quite amusing, they lost to 14 year old…
[quote]The junior Olympics is a minor event that has neither the prestige nor importance of the Olympics. Hence athletes are not pushed in anywhere near the same degree by their respective countries since there is little national glory to be gained.
As an anology, I don’t oppose 12 year old taking tests, but I do oppose them taking entrance exams that will determine their future. Competition is fine for younger children but up to a point. Competing on a world stage at a young age leads to all kinds of emotional and sometimes physical issues in later life. Imagine peaking at 14 years of age?[/quote]
I would have to disagree, the junior olympic program are used to groom potential olympians. Granted many burn out in the junior program. But that’s how you get the best of the best, by whittling the field from an young age to adulthood.
If you take the point of view that this is about national glory, there isn’t much to discuss. Since for most athletes it isn’t the real reason they in their respective sports. Most will play for any country that will give them a spot on the national team. That’s why there are so many journeymen athletes that get citizenship to other countries.
If they have emotional or physical issues, chances are they never make it on a national team. It’s really cut throat in amateur sports at international levels. Pro-sports even worst.
Your analogy is off. If a 14 year old beats a 18 year old in a college entrance exam, do you disqualify the 14 year old for being too young?
Protect the children? Please. Not when there are 14 year old soccer players signing big contracts with pro teams, or young golf, tennis player, or swimmers competing and racking in endorsements. And you’re going to tell gymnasts that they can’t compete until they’re 16, when they have only a very short career to begin with? And there are parents who push their kids just as hard in youth sports, little league baseball, junior Olympics, etc. And that’s not exploiting?
Let’s be honest here, elite gymnasts the world over don’t just take up their sport in their late teens. They all start very young, perhaps as young as 5 or 6. This is true for many other sports. So what’s the point of saying you can’t compete until you’re 16? They’d still be training for it.
[quote=“ac_dropout”][quote]The junior Olympics is a minor event that has neither the prestige nor importance of the Olympics. Hence athletes are not pushed in anywhere near the same degree by their respective countries since there is little national glory to be gained.
As an anology, I don’t oppose 12 year old taking tests, but I do oppose them taking entrance exams that will determine their future. Competition is fine for younger children but up to a point. Competing on a world stage at a young age leads to all kinds of emotional and sometimes physical issues in later life. Imagine peaking at 14 years of age?[/quote]
I would have to disagree, the junior olympic program are used to groom potential olympians. Granted many burn out in the junior program. But that’s how you get the best of the best, by whittling the field from an young age to adulthood.
If you take the point of view that this is about national glory, there isn’t much to discuss. Since for most athletes it isn’t the real reason they in their respective sports. Most will play for any country that will give them a spot on the national team. That’s why there are so many journeymen athletes that get citizenship to other countries.
If they have emotional or physical issues, chances are they never make it on a national team. It’s really cut throat in amateur sports at international levels. Pro-sports even worst.
Your analogy is off. If a 14 year old beats a 18 year old in a college entrance exam, do you disqualify the 14 year old for being too young?[/quote]
Athletes may not compete for national glory but their coaches and countries do and some are willing to exploit children and ruin their lives to achieve this goal. Do you not care to prevent ruined lives? Okay I know the answer to that. As long as results are achieved all is justified.
As a 14 year old beating a 18 year old on exams, yes it happens, but are you really so dense not to see that someone 14 years of age is not emotionally and psychologically the equivalent of an 18 year old? Progidies often fail to live up to early promise and in part because they are often thrown into adult situations they are not emotionally able to handle. That is the issue. World class competition is not for little boys and girls just as university is rarely a good thing for them either.
[quote=“ABC”]…And there are parents who push their kids just as hard in youth sports, little league baseball, junior Olympics, etc. And that’s not exploiting?
.[/quote]
Yes, it is. Most decent, civilized people abhore pushy parents and the damage they often inflict on their children.