The Olympics: Where 14 is the new 16?

To the surprise of probably no one, it appears that China has lied about some of their Olympic athlete ages. According to a security researcher, who was apparently quite adept as using Google, China had online documents stating that two of their gymnasts (Kexin He and Yuyuan Jiang) were actually 14 years old (not the required 16 years).




Not to be outdone, the Associated Press did their own internet-based exploration, where they apparently discovered online documents stating that He was only 13 years old 9 months ago... Mathematically, either the Chinese are lying or people age really quickly in China...


You don't think I'm 16?






According to ESPN, if He's age was "misremembered" as Roger Clemens might say, the Chinese team would be stripped of its team gold medal (which means the United States would win the gold) and He would be stripped of her individual gold medal on the uneven bars (resulting in a gold medal for American Nastia Liukin). The stakes for the American athletes are quite high...which leads to the problem I have with the story.





As an American, I'm obviously pleased with the American gymnast's results during the Olympics (no matter what the final colors of the medals are after the investigation). However, I wish that the investigation wasn't forced by Americans. I'm slightly afraid that the complaining done on behalf of the American gymnasts, by Americans, will come off as mostly "whining" by the rest of the world.

After spending about 10 days overseas during the past summer (Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria), I have become a bit more sensitive to the world's perception of Americans. (For example, many people in Austria equated America to South Park, ouch.) In this world of political turmoil, the Olympics ought to represent the best of each participating country...China already (apparently) let down their end of the bargain (but given their human rights violations, that shouldn't be surprising)...the United States ought to try and take the high road.

Now, I understand the desire for the gold on the gymnast's part (I'm not questioning that). What I am questioning is the "rogue" style of investigations launched by American media members and hackers in a grassroots attempt to invalidate the results of an international competition (one in which the United States Olympic Committee said that they weren't going to appeal at the time). The whole incident adds to the United States international reputation of "selfishness and greed", which is a shame.

That said, I think that the American athletes have represented the United States extremely well. Whether by being gracious in victory or complimentary in defeat, I have been proud of the poise and maturity demonstrated by most of the American athletes. Heck, even the basketball team has said and done the right things this Olympiad (something that cannot be said about the previous Summer Olympics).

Essentially, I hope that the brashness and underhandedness demonstrated by a select few Americans (who were NOT Olympians) won't overshadow the good that the American athletes have done in Beijing. To be fair, I hope that the trickery and underhandedness demonstrated by the Chinese (again, it was NON athletes lying and covering up) won't overshadow the amazing accomplishments of the other 80+ Chinese medals winners.


Sources:




http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10021343-83.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2599227/Chinese-Olympic-gymnast-He-Kexin-facing-age-inquiry.html
http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2008-08/41678525.jpg