Controversy Over Chinese Gymnasts' Ages Clouds Gold-Medal Win

From FNC:

As the Chinese Olympic women's — "girls'" may be a more appropriate term — gymnastics team celebrates winning its first-ever gold medal on Wednesday, questions surrounding the athletes' ages continue to plague them, the International Herald Tribune reported.

In what has been referred to by many as sour grapes after the Americans finished in second place, the U.S. national team coordinator, Martha Karolyi, voiced her concern over the Chinese team’s eligibility to compete because some of the girls on the six-member team may not be over 16.

"One of the girls has a missing tooth," Karolyi told the Tribune, suggesting she had lost a baby tooth and did not yet have an adult replacement. "I have no proof, so I can't make an affirmation."

A photo of gymnast Deng Linlin, who is on record as being 16 years old, shows a wide gap in her teeth. To be eligible for the Games, the gymnasts must turn 16 this year, the Tribune reported.

China’s coach, Lu Shanzhen, defended his team after they upset the Americans, and reigning world champions.

"It's unfair that people keep saying the Chinese are too young to compete," Lu told reporters in Mandarin on his way out of the National Indoor Stadium. "If they think they can tell someone's age just by looking at them, well, if you look at the foreign athletes, they have so much more muscles than the Chinese. They are so strong. Do you then say that they are doping?"

We should totally trust that China is telling the truth and playing by the rules. Not. They have tried to kill our pets, our children and us through our food ect... Yea, China is our friend. :)

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