My rant on the Olympics age requirement

[kjsx2]

I could be wrong but I have heard that the min age required for the Olympics is 16 years of age. My question is why should 16 year olds get to to compete? In most countries the age of majority is 18 - I think the Olympics should be for "adults" to compete in, not kids. There are all sorts of competitions for younger people to compete in - so why do they need to be in the Olympics? I have been following along with the Olympics since they started and am realizing that it is really unfair for the older / more developed competitors especially in events like gymnastics, and swimming events to be competing against the younger / lesser developed competitors from mostly Asian countries. Why doesn't the IOC up the age limit?? Watching the diving competition the other day I heard one of the commentators comment on a Chinese diver that she weighed approx 50 pounds in comparison to the North Americans who weighed atleast double, that much if not more -- the Chinese diver had an unfair advantage being that she was smaller / weighed less , that ofcourse she would make a smaller splash upon her entry into the water, and thus get better marks. Am I out of line in my thinking that the playing field should be more level? I realize that in some sports that this would be next to impossible, but isn't atleast worth the consideration?? They have taken Baseball and Softball out of the next Summer Olympics in hopes that come 2016 the fields will be more even, why not at the sametime address issues in the other events as well?? Just my 2 cents - hope I haven't offended anyone!

 

[vegaspuck]

If a 12 year old can pull off a better dive than an 18 year old with more experience then more power to 'em. Some gymnasts are 'over the hill' by 18. In my mind it's even more impressive if a 16 year old is schooling older competition.

 

[TanguayFan]

I've got no problem with the age limit as it stands....as long as the countries abide by the rules. Unfortunately, it appears as though that may not be the case with the Chinese gymnastics squad. If anybody actually thinks those pre-pubescent girls are 16, I've got some prime oceanfront real-estate in Saskatchewan I can sell you.

 

[cards-gotta-go]

Age? The Olympics have a MUCH bigger problem than verifying birth certificates...

 

[will-411]

Actually, there are no age limits except in gymnastics (16). The only reason that was introduced was that there was compelling evidence that the type of training required to excel at gymnastics on a world stage was harmful to development and led to health problems.

You need to look a little deeper than just age when examining this problem as well. Chinese children are identified for specific athletic qualities and taken from their families at young ages to train for sports; many of them are lucky to see their families once a year. They basically become wards of the state, for the most part with the blessing of their family, knowing it will be a 'better life'. They compete at a world class level at a younger age because of their society. The IOC had their chance to comment on this by NOT awarding China the games. They chose to turn a blind eye.

As for diving specifically, there is a marked advantage for being a smaller competitor - as you say, less splash, even when you mess up the entry. That's is easily fixed by allowing video replay, as they've gone to in gymnastics - but actually, after watching the womens 10m diving final yesterday, they looked like they got it right without video replay.

All that said, my opinion is, if it's a health related issue, by all means, go with an age limit. Otherwise, it's exclusionary and has no real purpose in the Games.

Cory

 

[vegaspuck]

You need to look a little deeper than just age when examining this problem as well. Chinese children are identified for specific athletic qualities and taken from their families at young ages to train for sports; many of them are lucky to see their families once a year. They basically become wards of the state, for the most part with the blessing of their family, knowing it will be a 'better life'. They compete at a world class level at a younger age because of their society.

Ahhh...like Jr's hockey in Canada...I get it.

 

[will-411]

Ahhh...like Jr's hockey in Canada...I get it.

At least there's the lure of millions potentially at the end instead of 3 square meals a day or jail if you refuse...

Cory

 

[JoeyStorm]

actually the correct "term" is if they're 16 or older or turning 16 that year. Thus you could get your butt whooped by a 15 year old

 

[newfiecomicguy1]

At least in Jr hockey you have a choice haha.

 

[timber09]

As stated health is the main concern here and with the way the Chinese have targeted these Olympics I do think it needs to be addressed however this is not a unique situation and is certainly not isolated in China.

Training regimins have been questioned for years in the USSR and most of the Eastern Block European countries as well as in the United States and Canada when you start to look at kids and their training for sports like gymnastics and wrestling - in the end they put a lot of pressure on these kids to maintain a certain weight which is well below what is healthy.

In the end, there is nothing the IOC is going to be able to do about it unless they get rid of these events (which I would be all for - and sport that is based solely on judges is not a sport in my mind) - countries are going to have the right to train their athletes how they see fit, regardless of whether or not it is in the best interest of the athlete.

Oh and by the way - some of those Chinese athletes are making well over $1m a year - so the comparison to junior hockey programs isn't really that far off.