That's the question being asked by the IOC this week in regards to the Chinese gymnasts who have raised suspicions with various sport governing bodies in regards to their ages. The Chinese authorities have turned over copies of documentation, such as passports, residence permits and ID cards to prove the ages of the 2008 gold medal team are within the 16-years old minimum age limit.
I watched some of the gymnastics events. If all of those kids are at least 16, then there is a bridge somewhere that is for sale. One of them looked awfully young. I have heard thru the grapevine that one of them is all of 11 years old. Some of the members of China's 2000 Sydney gymnastics team are also being investigated. If it turns out some of these girls are under age, it throws the medal placements into chaos.
China's "win at all costs" attitude got them into trouble. And it's victims are the youngest ones, pawns in a closely-crafted propaganda machine, that awards deceit and punishes honesty.
No one knows what the eventual outcome of this is going to be, but one thing is for certain: we haven't heard the last of this one yet.
A case of child abuse: legally sanctioned by the Chinese government.
And this is only the beginning.
