Less-Than-Olympic Moments 3
The third post in a series focusing on less-than-Olympic moments at this year’s Beijing Games.
Are they 16 or not? That’s the question swirling around some Chinese gymnasts. To compete in the games, the athlete must be 16 during the Olympic year.
Allegations are flying fast and furious, claiming that several of China’s gymnasts who competed in the games are 13 or 14 years old. Seems like some new information is unearthed every day.
I don’t know how old they are. I know how old I think they are. Looks can be deceiving, but they sure don’t look 16.
This controversy really uncovers something deeper than gymnastics. China’s government claims to have verification that the athletes are indeed 16. But nobody seems to believe them.
Are we surprised? The Chinese government doesn’t exactly have a great track record for truth-telling and reliability. They do have a reputation for suppressing free speech and religious liberty.
Want an eye-opener? Check out this page on Voice of the Martyrs’ website.
Not exactly the China that we saw at the glorious Opening and Closing Ceremonies, is it? But the reality is that China has a long-standing reputation for oppression and persecution.
With that kind of sinister track record, are we shocked that they would lie about a gymnast’s age if it supported the government’s agenda?
If you want to read further, you can check out Voice of the Martyr’s complete description of Chinese persecution here.