Hacker uncovers 'proof' that Chinese gymnast is underage

[-Cp]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4578241.ece


LOL - gotta love the "hackers" - any bets that nothing will be done about it?

[Little-Acorn]

Would this be the same hacker who uncovered "proof" that Barack Obama's birth certificate was faked... but who won't tell anyone what that proof was, or even show it to anyone?

Look, folks. The Chinese government wants this girl to be sixteen. So if they need to, they will produce an OFFICIAL birth certificate that proves it.

Tilting at windmills has never proven productive. It only makes you look like a damned fool. Any evidence you might come up with, will be completely discredited by an OFFICIAL, government-issued birth certificate showing the girl is old enough. And when the ink dries, that will be the Last Word.

[Abbey Marie]

Would this be the same hacker who uncovered "proof" that Barack Obama's birth certificate was faked... but who won't tell anyone what that proof was, or even show it to anyone?

Look, folks. The Chinese government wants this girl to be sixteen. So if they need to, they will produce an OFFICIAL birth certificate that proves it.

Tilting at windmills has never proven productive. It only makes you look like a damned fool. Any evidence you might come up with, will be completely discredited by an OFFICIAL, government-issued birth certificate showing the girl is old enough. And when the ink dries, that will be the Last Word.

Are you saying we should just wink and nod and let the cheating go on because it is difficult to prove? Many of us have too strong a need for fairness.

[Gaffer]

You gotta give credit to the girl. If she is only 14 she's really good at what she does. She won a gold medal against much older people.

[Kathianne]

You gotta give credit to the girl. If she is only 14 she's really good at what she does. She won a gold medal against much older people.

Agreed. The baby teeth argument aside, seems to me that the 16 age limit should be dropped, to avoid the cheating. If the gymnasts, (minors) and their parents/coaches don't care, then let them compete. Truth is, all runners/basketball/soccer/etc knowingly risk injuries that have lifelong implications. It was a dumb rule in the first place.

[theHawk]

The issue should not be dropped. If the IOC would grow the balls to investigate, they could easily interview the girl herself and the parents to see what they say. Being that young in that sport gives them an advantage, and if caught they should be stripped of their medals. Not to mention the very apparent pro-chinese bias these judges seem to have.

My guess is several years from now the truth will come out and their medals will be stripped anyway. But its just wrong because it robs the rightful winner that chance to stand on the podem with the world watching.

[krisy]

I think this should be investigated. Definitely not dropped. If it's o.k. for the Chinese to cheat this way,then how can you say anything at all to any other country that cheats in a different way. Even if the girl deserved to be there,rules are put in place for a reason. A country shouldn't be allowed to break them because they just don't like them.

[KitchenKitten99]

If the IOC would grow the balls to investigate, they could easily interview the girl herself and the parents to see what they say.

Who's to say they won't lie, either because they want to keep the 'family honor' or because the government (communist) will pressure them to?

They knew/know full well what age their child had/has to be in order to compete. They aren't completely clueless. Especially since she's been interviewed a few times on the issue.

[My Winter Storm]

If the kid is underage, she will have to hand back her medal.

[Little-Acorn]

Are you saying we should just wink and nod and let the cheating go on because it is difficult to prove?
No. I'm saying that you should wink and nod... or not wink and nod... and let the cheating go on because it is impossible to prove.

The CHinese government will produce complete documentation showing she was born in this hospital, on that date, which makes her fully eligible for the Beijing Olympics.

Her parents will swear up and down in full agreement, of course she was born then, we were there, you weren't, how could you think otherwise? They will produce school records (all schools are heavily controlled by the Chinese central govt, just like the leftists want ours to be) showing her dates of attendance, grades, yearbook pictures or whatever they have over there, and a lock of her hair plus gymnastics trophies of course. Any parents in China who want to live in peace under their government, will do exactly that, if they don't want to disappear like some Falun Gong members one night.

Your naivete is charming, and your innocence commendable if it weren't as bogus as this girl's age claims. To think you could even get to first base in a quest to "prove" this girl's age, reveals a strange ignorance of what totalitarian governments can do, where their desires (and especially their image) is concerned.


Many of us have too strong a need for fairness.
Oh, well, why didn't you say so? In that case the Chinese govt will do a complete reversal, confess their sins, admit the girl is only twelve, agree that they set the whole thing up, and throw themselves on the mercy (hah) of the world 's opinion.

You think you can do ANYTHING to find this girl's real age, beyond point to a few dusty articles that say she was born earlier? Articles which the govt will calmly state were mistaken, will point out that even the dates between the two articles conflict with each other, and will ask you to provide any proof of either one of them being correct, long after they have eradicated any possible proof or the least bit of evidence?

Why do you think that government is so totalitarian? So they can prevent their entire population from doing what you're suggesting while sitting in your armchair ten thousand miles away. And you're merely a silly, blinders-on foreigner, without access to ANY info other than that inaccurate, lying Internet. The Chinese would laugh themselves silly at your feeble mouthings if they had any time to devote to you at all... which of course they don't.

Sure, go ahead and try to find out this girl's age, in an environment like that. It might have been entertaining to others, if they hadn't already seen thousands like you try the same feeble, futile things, only to give up after a few empty posts. Now it's just boring.

[Abbey Marie]

L-A, you should have warned me that someone peed in your Wheaties this week.

I'll just tiptoe on out now, and leave you to your feelings of futility. http://www.websmileys.com/sm/happy/042.gif

[KitchenKitten99]

where their desires (and especially their image) is concerned.

Can you imagine the embarassment that the girl, her family, and the Chinese government will have to endure for centuries to come, if it were to actually be proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the girls are underage?

The Chinese have always had a 'pride' issue, which has been their Achille's heel on several occasions.

The Chinese government will certainly not allow their country to be 'dishonored', even if it means cheating and lying their way to the top, for the sake of pride and honor.

[Mr. P]

No. I'm saying that you should wink and nod... or not wink and nod... and let the cheating go on because it is impossible to prove.

The CHinese government will produce complete documentation showing she was born in this hospital, on that date, which makes her fully eligible for the Beijing Olympics.

Her parents will swear up and down in full agreement, of course she was born then, we were there, you weren't, how could you think otherwise? They will produce school records (all schools are heavily controlled by the Chinese central govt, just like the leftists want ours to be) showing her dates of attendance, grades, yearbook pictures or whatever they have over there, and a lock of her hair plus gymnastics trophies of course. Any parents in China who want to live in peace under their government, will do exactly that, if they don't want to disappear like some Falun Gong members one night.

Your naivete is charming, and your innocence commendable if it weren't as bogus as this girl's age claims. To think you could even get to first base in a quest to "prove" this girl's age, reveals a strange ignorance of what totalitarian governments can do, where their desires (and especially their image) is concerned.


Oh, well, why didn't you say so? In that case the Chinese govt will do a complete reversal, confess their sins, admit the girl is only twelve, agree that they set the whole thing up, and throw themselves on the mercy (hah) of the world 's opinion.

You think you can do ANYTHING to find this girl's real age, beyond point to a few dusty articles that say she was born earlier? Articles which the govt will calmly state were mistaken, will point out that even the dates between the two articles conflict with each other, and will ask you to provide any proof of either one of them being correct, long after they have eradicated any possible proof or the least bit of evidence?

Why do you think that government is so totalitarian? So they can prevent their entire population from doing what you're suggesting while sitting in your armchair ten thousand miles away. And you're merely a silly, blinders-on foreigner, without access to ANY info other than that inaccurate, lying Internet. The Chinese would laugh themselves silly at your feeble mouthings if they had any time to devote to you at all... which of course they don't.

Sure, go ahead and try to find out this girl's age, in an environment like that. It might have been entertaining to others, if they hadn't already seen thousands like you try the same feeble, futile things, only to give up after a few empty posts. Now it's just boring.

It can be done LA. It would just take the IOC to demand xrays of teeth and scull by someone outside of China to prove age. If they don't agree they're banded from future games. Other Countries have been band for the same thing (age violations). Ain't gonna happen though.

[Little-Acorn]

Ain't gonna happen though.

My point exactly.

[5stringJeff]

IOC rules aside, does it matter if a gymnast is 14 or 16? If the best gymnast in the world is only 14, why not let her compete?

[Mr. P]

IOC rules aside, does it matter if a gymnast is 14 or 16? If the best gymnast in the world is only 14, why not let her compete?

Donno. I want to know why hey have the min age limit to start with..if we knew we may have something to debate.