No winners in this age of controversy

• Source: Globaltimes
• [01:51 March 02 2010]
• Comments

By Wang Yuan

Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun, the two Chinese gymnasts who might have faded from Chinese memory, have set off ripples nearly 10 years after their moment of glory in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

This time, it's scandal that has earned them public attention.

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Saturday on its website that Dong and Yang had falsified their dates of birth. FIG rules require that participants in Olympic gymnastics should be at least 16 years in the year of the Olympics. Dong and Yang, who were under 16 then, padded their age.

The Chinese Gymnastics Association (CGA) has merely expressed strong regret in response to the FIG's announcement, and said that it reserves the right to explain or appeal.

However, many feel CGA's statement is feeble, as falsifying athletes' age is no longer “news” in China. “Shrinking the age of athletes in advantaged sports and padding the age in disadvantaged events” is believed to be an unwritten rule in China.

From gymnastics to football and track events to basketball, age violations are not rare.

What remains in doubt is whether the falsifying is done by the athletes or by the authorities.

Considering how hard it is for individuals to change date of birth in China, there is reason to believe that local sports authorities and sports schools had a hand in it, and, insiders confirm this.

Since the athletes' performance is closely tied to an official's career, falsifying an athlete's age serves as a shortcut to success. In some sports like gymnastics, younger means better flexibility, so they pad the athletes' age to make them qualify, while in games like football and basketball, older means powerful, so they lower the player's age.

The practice should also be blamed on “worship of gold medals.” We care too much about our athletes' achievements, regardless how they make it.