Thoughts on the Chinese gymnast situation

[ceebeegee]

As more evidence has come out, but the IOC has turned a blind eye, I haven't wanted to blog about this because frankly, I found the story alternately maddening and depressing. Everyone could see there was evidence (and China has done this before--one of their medalists in Sydney admitted to being underage. Admitted it on state TV) but the IOC just kept saying "her passport says she's of age, therefore it's a done deal" and FIG just shrugged. That's the maddening part. The depressing part is how cynical some people have been--how they don't seem to realize that if this is true, it's spitting in the face of those who AREN'T cheating, those who DID wait their turn until they were old enough to compete. Like the AA gold medalist, Nastia Liukin--who almost certainly would've competed in Athens if the age limit were lower. She was that good even back then. And we have 14- and 15-year old who could've competed this year. But the rules say the gymnast has to turn 16 the calendar year of the Olympics--and it's to protect the gymnasts themselves, to keep them from pushing their bodies too hard, and in response to some scary-ass stories of exploitation in the '70s and '80s .

So I tried not to think about the story too much because I figured nothing would happen. The IOC has extremely selective vision and they pick and choose their battles. they had no problem going after poor Andreea Raducan in 2000 with both guns firing, stripping her of her gold medal in the AA for a cold tablet, but when convincing evidence turns up that the host country might've falsified documents to screw over athletes in order to scrabble a few more golds? No way, man. They don't want the fight. They can bully a Romanian sixteen-year-old but not China, not the country that sentences 70+-year-old women to hard labor (and how damn sad is that? That article brings tears to my eyes, that is just unbelievable).

Until I saw this:

Faced with almost insurmountable evidence which suggests that [gymnast] He is two years younger than the birth date listed on her Chinese passport, the IOC has launched an inquiry that could result in the stripping of He's gold medals.

About damn time.

Comments

[antibromide.livejournal.com]

The worst thing about the Chinese gymnast situation is that the gymnasts are not the ones cheating - it's the Chinese government. The gymnasts are going to be punished for something they had no control over.

I do hope they really investigate this. And (for the sake of everyone involved) I hope everyone really was old enough to compete.

[dry-2olives.livejournal.com]

What you wrote reminds me of a documentary I saw on the East German women swimmers of the 70s, who were jacked up on male hormones by the government. In one segment an American silver medalist went to Germany to talk with the woman who beat her. The East German saw no reason why she should not be considered a legitimate winner, saying she trained and work as hard for it as the American.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

Some of those EG swimmers, like Kornelia Endor, have never admitted they were part of a systemic doping program. She got a lot of publicity--I have a copy of that Time issue where she was extolled--I guess it's hard for her to admit that was a lot more than just her hard work.

Sure, she trained as hard. Sure, she worked. But so did everyone else. She had the drug they didn't have; she had an unfair advantage.

The IOC would gain a lot of credibility wih me if they would just admit that the 1976 swimming results (and those after, until East Germany stopped the program) are tainted. No one attaches any credibility to them.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

I fully, fully agree. I do not blame those poor girls for this at all. Shit, they get to see their parents once a damn year, I have nothing but pity for them. I don't expect a starved 14-year old to stand up against her own government.

[wonderpanther.livejournal.com]

Absolutely about damn time! Yay! And I absolutely agree with everything that you said.

I also have to say that I love the part of the article that insults the judges.

I also wonder if an investigation finding her underage would mean that the team medal was stripped from everyone on that team.

AAAAAND Back To Reality....

[son-of-ottie.livejournal.com]

The IOC says China's innocent. China showed a couple pieces of paper and the IOC folded.
China wins.
China SUCKS!

[nswakko15.livejournal.com]

and the investigation lasted a few hours and changed nothing. They aren't pursuing this.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

I know, I just read the story.

A twelve hour investigation? That's it?

The IOC sucks. They just suck.* This is a complete farce.

*Though in complete harmony with the ideals established by such luminaries as Avery Brundage, a worthless human being. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avery_Brundage)