Gymnastics: Age Old Problem Continues

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The excellent China Media Project based in Hong Kong University has put up an post examining the contradictory reporting in the Chinese press of the age of China’s “secret weapon” and multiple medal winner He Kexin. It cites a bunch of stories last year referring to her as a 13 year old (here’s our story on the issue). That suddenly changes to 15 around the end of the year. (Her birthdate is currently listed as Jan. 1, 1992; earlier it was listed as Jan. 1 1994) There is also other evidence such as a speech by a senior sports official referring to her as 13.

This controversy isn’t new. It was one thing to have this controversy bubbling when she was a team gold winner with four others. But now that she has won an individual gold on the uneven bars, the whole thing could reignite. Chinese officials produced a passport listing her as turning 16 this year, which is the rule for qualifying to compete in the Olympics, and that was accepted by the International Federations of Gymnastics (the appropriately acronymed F.I.G.), which the International Olympic Committee has deferred to in this matter, probably with some relief. Short of one of her parents coming out and attesting that she was born in 1994, I don’t think the FIG or IOC will touch this one. Not only would you have to disqualify her and take back two gold medals, which wouldn’t exactly be a popular move in China, they would effectively be calling the entire Chinese sports establishment liars as it would take a very high level of collusion to get a passport faked.