By Cheryl Erb Santa Monica
I think the ages of all Olympic competitors should be checked to be sure the competitors are old enough to compete, i.e. age 16 in the year of that particular Olympic Games. The allowable leniency should be, for example, if a competitor is 15 at the time of the games but will be 16 following the games. This age requirement should apply to all competitors. Why should the Chinese gymnasts be an exception to the age-requirement rule. Hopefully, not because the Olympics were held in China or not because the Chinese gymnasts were on “home turf.”
Now that the Chinese gymnasts have competed and won the gold, I think it would only be fair to all competitors (in all events) that these Chinese gymnasts be disqualified and their scores be eliminated [if it is proven that some of their competitors were underage].
Wow! It wouldn’t be a total loss for the Chinese gymnasts because they would have the experience, so at the next Olympics these gymnasts would be more than ready to take the gold.
Does this mean that the American gymnasts could take the gold in this Olympics? I’m not sure what the Olympic rule is for the second place winners when the first place winners are disqualified. It seems to me that in the past I have seen second place winners move up to first place.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 16, 2008. Read the original PDF.