So apparently 12 year olds are allowed in the Olympics...

espencer

Chuffy

If someone takes steroids but they DON'T win the race, does that make it OK that they took the steroids?

 

You dont need to be a rocket scientist to know that being a 12 years old is not an advantage at sports as taking steroids would,

IRRELEVANT!

If China HAVE broken the rules by entering underage girls then that is just one of several things they have done which have severely "not impressed" me. Winning or losing doesn't come into it.  I'm a Brit.  I place a lot of value on sportsmanship. 

espencer

i bet this thread would not exist if the Chinese didnt win gold, people mostly sure would not care how old they were as long as they didnt win but they did and now age is really an issue

Wrong!  I don't know who won gold and I don't care as I havent watched any of the Olympics and I don't intend to.  

Did you see the other thread about the girls that sang/mimed in the opening ceremony?  They had a "cute" girl to mime, performing to a recording of a talented little girl who actually sang.  It disgusts me for pretty much the same reason.

Sore losers?  The people I know who are following the Olympics are pleased that the Brits are doing so well in the medal table and none of them care about the alleged under age gymnast(s).  This isn't about winning or losing. 

Chuffy

Did you see the other thread about the girls that sang/mimed in the opening ceremony?  They had a "cute" girl to mime, performing to a recording of a talented little girl who actually sang. 

Actors, actresses, musicians, get told ALL THE TIME...they are "not cute enough" "not tall enough" "not skinny enough" "not trendy enough" that's the job, child or adult...I don't like it so I don't partake and neither would my kids...but clearly...many others, do. I am not going to judge the Chinese for doing something the USA partakes in.

But really, IMO the above had nothing to do with rules in place to govern competition. IF those were violated then it should be dealt with...but I am sure not going to go by what they "look" like...because that is a really haphazard way to judge...esp given I am not part of that country or that culture.

A show? for entertainment? I see no big deal...that's showbiz and it happens in the USA all the time.

rwbeagles

Chuffy

Did you see the other thread about the girls that sang/mimed in the opening ceremony?  They had a "cute" girl to mime, performing to a recording of a talented little girl who actually sang. 

Actors, actresses, musicians, get told ALL THE TIME...

Maybe.  Doesn't mean I have to like or condone it though.  

Seriously though, wouldn't ANY 7yo with an amazing voice have impressed the crowds?  How they looked wouldn't have mattered.  Surely would have mattered less to folks than the debacle as was.

rwbeagles

But really, IMO the above had nothing to do with rules in place to govern competition.

No and I hope it wasn't understood that I implied as such.  I just said it disgusted me for pretty much the same reason.

rwbeagles

Actors, actresses, musicians, get told ALL THE TIME...they are "not cute enough" "not tall enough" "not skinny enough" "not trendy enough" that's the job, child or adult...I don't like it so I don't partake and neither would my kids...but clearly...many others, do. I am not going to judge the Chinese for doing something the USA partakes in.

True.  But that's show business.  Not "looking the part" is something everyone in show business has to accept at one time or another. I think this other incident is different - there's just something about telling a 7 year old that she's not good looking enough to be seen on stage that doesn't sit right with me.  It's not like she was auditioning for a movie role where she had to look like Shirley Temple. I didn't see  them choosing their athletes based on looks or making the not-so-cute ones use stunt doubles or wear bags on their heads.

Joyce

fuzzy_dogs_mom

there's just something about telling a 7 year old that she's not good looking enough to be seen on stage that doesn't sit right with me. 

and that's why you or I or Chuffy aren't in the world of performers. Truthfully it's nothing different than any child actor here would get told, IMO, I am sure the try outs for a Broadway rendition of ANNIE would not be all cuddly and fuzzy either. If you ain't right...they'll tell ya.

It's a cut throat world...and this performance....on a scale of importance to the country, I don't think them wanting perfection is horrible. I don't think it's any different than a Broadway play...if you don't have the chops...acting, looks or voice wise...then be prepared to be told regardless of how old you are. I think many child actors would probably agree.

And you know what? We don't know HOW they broke the news to the girl...we all like to assume they were cold, unfeeling, stabbed her in the heart...ya know what? I am not going to go there...because I don't know.

Chuffy

I'm a Brit.  I place a lot of value on sportsmanship.

Irrelevant!! (see my previous post)

Chuffy

Winning or losing doesn't come into it.

Wrong! (see my previous post)

Chuffy

The people I know who are following the Olympics are pleased that the Brits are doing so well in the medal table and none of them care about the alleged under age gymnast(s).

Irrelevant! (but you should follow their example)

rwbeagles

I am sure not going to go by what they "look" like...because that is a really haphazard way to judge...esp given I am not part of that country or that culture.

I could not have said it better 

Chuffy

he people I know who are following the Olympics are pleased that the Brits are doing so well in the medal table

Kicking some.....and taking names in the velodrome, who knew team GB was so good at cycling?  It's worth watching just for the prime hunk of Scottish beef that is Chris Hoy.  My oh my *fanning myself*

who knew team GB was so good at cycling?

me <-- raises hand :D

 before the athens olympics, the british cycling federation spent quite a bit of money having bikes specially designed for the track cyclists. in the past several years,  the british track cyclists have won numerous world championship medals.

unfortunately, without cable, american audiences got to see none of the velodrome events. at least none that i could find. i think all that was shown on the usa network? overall i have been greatly disappointed with the nbc primetime coverage of the olympics. why they continue to show qualifying rounds for some sports yet totally ignore others baffles me. i would like a recap of events at some point in the primetime show. apparently, we (the usa) has had medallists in several sports that i have yet to see mentioned on the primetime show... http://www.nbcolympics.com/teamusa/medals/medalists/index.html

i have to say that i am pretty sick of the gymnastics. it is such a farce of a competition. one girl falls on her face and gets bronze. while other girls who land correctly go home medalless. last night they did this tie-breaker deal. what a trumped up rule. i wouldnt mind seeing gymnastics removed from the olympics until some of the subjectiveness can be removed from the sport.
 

cyclefiend2000

nfortunately, without cable, american audiences got to see none of the velodrome events

That's a shame, it really was exciting.  I actually cheered a few times, and I'm not the type to do that.  The keirin was neat, I don't recall ever having seen that before.  I had to laugh at someone on the BBC website referring to the Madison as "the duck-billed platypus of the sporting world" because it's true - what an odd sport.  

Rebecca Romero, who in addition to winning her 3000 metre race came a very respectable 8th in the points race, confessed afterwards that she'd only been briefed on HOW to ride a points race that morning.  That's slightly mind-boggling.  

espencer

Chuffy

I'm a Brit.  I place a lot of value on sportsmanship.

 

Irrelevant!! (see my previous post)

Chuffy

Winning or losing doesn't come into it.

 

Wrong! (see my previous post)

It jolly well is NOT irrelevant.  Breaking the rules is bad sportsmanship, regardless of whether breaking that rule won you an advantage or not!  And winning or losing surely does NOT come into it, FOR ME.  Therefore you can't accuse me of being a sore loser - and you can't tell me I'm wrong when I am talking about how something is FOR ME.

espencer

Chuffy

The people I know who are following the Olympics are pleased that the Brits are doing so well in the medal table and none of them care about the alleged under age gymnast(s).

 

Irrelevant! (but you should follow their example)

Why should I follow their example?  Why should I lay down my OWN beliefs and principles and blindly follow everyone else like some sort of sheep?  The suggestion is repulsive to me.

espencer

rwbeagles

I am sure not going to go by what they "look" like...because that is a really haphazard way to judge...esp given I am not part of that country or that culture.

I could not have said it better 

No one is going purely on LOOKS.  How they look is what sparked the curiosity.... and it has been fuelled by media reports that one or more of the girls have been reported as underage. 

BEIJING (AP)—Just nine months before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government’s news agency, Xinhua, reported that gymnast He Kexin was 13, which would have made her ineligible to be on the team that won a gold medal this week.

So it's not just "looks" that are the problem.  Newspapers in her OWN country, her OWN culture, who aren't going to have the bias Westerners have (because they do look incrediby young to us) have given her age as 13. 

Chuffy

Therefore you can't accuse me of being a sore loser

espencer

people (not talking about some one in specific) need to get over it and dont be sore loosers

I didnt accuse any body as you can see, but if the shoe fits..... 

espencer

Myra

I'm totally flummoxed that anyone would think they could know w/o a doubt that it didn't make a difference.

Thats what i think about people being so sure they are 12 without proof and just because "they look like"

Chuffy

If someone takes steroids but they DON'T win the race, does that make it OK that they took the steroids?

 

You dont need to be a rocket scientist to know that being a 12 years old is not an advantage at sports as taking steroids would, people (not talking about some one in specific) need to get over it and dont be sore loosers, i bet this thread would not exist if the Chinese didnt win gold, people mostly sure would not care how old they were as long as they didnt win but they did and now age is really an issue

Quit being passive aggressive spence.  The bit about being a sore loser is in that SAME sentence where you quoted my post and responded directly to it.  So don't pretend you weren't issuing that little dig, at least in part, at myself.

No the "shoe" doesn't fit.  How can I be a sore loser if I really don't care who won or lost?  I do care about kids being exploited, and I do care about cheating (if the cheating actually took place). That said, this is more about politics, for me, than it is about winning or losing.  And that's all I have to say about that.

Looks like the IOC is going to investigate -- 

The International Olympic Committee is launching an investigation into Chinese gold-medal-winning gymnast He Kexin's age, the Times of London is reporting. Mounting allegations that Chinese authorities covered up the Olympian's age triggered the IOC to act.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26337759/

Good!  Everybody absolutely should be playing by the same rules whether it's steroids or fudging about age.

Joyce