China just can’t seem to keep their story straight.
First He’s 14, as reported by China’s official English-language paper on May 23rd.
Then He’s 16, proud holder of a passport with a 1992 birthday.
Now He’s 13, at least according to a report published last November by China’s government sponsored news agency.
Regardless of age, one thing’s for sure: He’s a lady. And maybe, just maybe, the source of more confusion than any person on the planet at the moment.
Since well before the Chinese women took home the overall Gold on Monday night, competitor He Kexing has been at the center of a raging controversy over the ages of China’s delegates. According to reports, online documents which reported He’s age to be 13 as of last year disappeared just in time for China to submit a passport listing her birthday as January 1, 1992. Now, one such document has surfaced, a listing of gifted young Chinese athletes published at the end of last year by the government.
Why all the brouhaha? Well, IOC regulations require that all Olympic gymnasts must turn 16 within the calendar year of the competition. Regardless of the validity of this regulation (the motivation for which is that younger gymnasts have an inherently superior muscle/weight ratio for the sport), it seems increasingly clear that China is skirting regulations.
It wouldn’t be the first time. In Sydney 2000, Chinese gymnast Yang Yun won team and individual Bronze medals. Only recently did Yang admit that she was actually only 14at the time of the competition. Now, it seems, the IOC is overlooking a similar transgression. Of course, with Gold, rather than Bronze, on the line, the stakes are a bit higher.
For her part, He has stuck with the story. The AP reports that, “He herself told reporters after Wednesday’s final that ‘my real age is 16. I don’t pay attention to what everyone says.’”
The Chinese gymnastics delegation also steadfastly maintains that prior records were inaccurate and that there was no tampering with passports. Says official Zhang Hongliang, “We are a sports department. How would we have the ability to do that?”
That’s a good question Zhang. These girls have, after all, only been in government custody since they were 3 years old, training ceaselessy to represent a country desperate for global respect on an international stage. How could any official have forged those documents? What would be the motivation, and, moreover, when would they have found the time to re-issue these passports? Oh . . .
At this point the IOC seems unwilling to risk the diplomatic bad-blood that would result from an inquest into the competitor’s actual ages, at least given the meager rewards that might result. The American team imploded, costing themselves any chance at the gold, and showed no proof that they would have beaten a team of legitimate competitors from China. Furthermore, it is unlikely that anything would be accomplished by pressing China on the matter. If they have forged passports, then forging birth certificates to placate doubters wouldn’t represent much of a challenge.
For now, it seems, the Case of the Prepubescent Olympians will be swept under the rug to preserve the facade of China’s mesmerizing dog and pony show. Their actions have helped He win a gold medal. Hopefully, on some far-off day, they will acknowledge their transgression and help this young girl win back some of her pride.
