Underage Olympians

Ok, does anyone really care that several of the Chinese gymnasts aren't 16? The argument is that it's against the rules because younger kids have an advantage...ok...so what? It's not an unfair and unnatural advantage.

Would we care if underage kids played in other Olympic sports? I wouldn't because they'd get their asses beat. Do you think a 13 year old stands a chance of outrunning Usain Bolt, dunking on Kobe, blocking a Misty May spike, or out swimming Michael Phelps? Of course not. A 13 year old would stand no chance in any of those events because 13 is no where near the peak age of performance in any of those events. If 13 year olds can beat 16 year olds in gymnastics I say either let them compete or take those events out of the Olympics.

Call me overly competitive or an athletic capitalist but I think the Olympics are worth nothing if they aren't showing us who the best in the world are. If they are showing us who the best in the world are under certain stipulations that's bs.

It's also a double standard in that I'm sure that a 50 year old gold medalist would be celebrated as stretching the bounds of what we thought was possible. Why shouldn't we also celebrate the youngest gold medal winners? We marvel at Michelle Wie and Freddie Adu yet these gymnasts are criminalized. Doesn't make much sense to me. Congrats to them.

Although you are free to claim that Nastia Liukin was robbed and that her routine was gold medal worthy on merit alone.