DroxLA

So it’s almost been a full week since the kick-off of the Olympic games, and while the opening ceremonies made it quite evident that China is working hard to change their image to the rest of the World, it has not been without controversy. Besides the conflict between Russia and Georgia, and Michael Phelps tremendous accomplishments, the other story that has been playing huge in the American media is the Chinese Olympic gymnastics women. First of all, my congratulations to China on their performance at this years Summer Games. They are doing magnificently. As an Asian-American, I couldn’t be more proud to see China in the spotlight and getting the respect that they’ve wanted all these years. But the controversy over the women gymnasts is just ridiculous. Yes, it has been reported that in some recent records some of the competitors ages were not of competition age – 16, and that the athletes themselves may in fact be younger than that. But with China providing their passports to the investigation of the Olympic committee and the committee finding no faults with their papers, there is really nothing else that can be done. Launching a full on investigation into the backgrounds of athletes through a government that has already provided what they deem to be legitimate documents is, in my opinion, as far as it’s ever going to go – and with that, why all the continual talk about it?!

With the ongoing articles on ESPN and the internet, commentators mentioning of it during every US broadcast of the gymnastics events is just overkill, and is creating a sense of racist regards towards China. Looking at the comments left by users on ESPN.com you will notice that the controversy has made the average American look like sore-losers, and racist sore-losers at that. Not only are they attacking the gymnasts and Chinese government itself, they are using it to flame the country and it’s people as a whole, and makes me even more supportive of the Chinese athletes. Don’t get me wrong, I have no idea if they are, in fact, of age. All I can say is that with the right haircut, and some change in clothes I can easily fit in and pass as a High School student – and I’m 26. I have Asian, female friends that look as they could be 14 and they’re 25. I have a cousin who is in med school that could pass as 13. Asian people don’t necessarily look their age. And being a gymnast, which is a sport that generally stunts growth, doesn’t add to the fact that the girls may very well be as old as they say. Regardless of that fact however, they’re performed admirably, were under the same pressures and won it for their country. When the USA team captain was asked if she thought they looked younger than 16 she gave a very respectable answer, “…I don’t look 20.” yes, you don’t. And for all the naysayers, I seriously doubt the Olympic committee will go further than looking at official documents because there is nothing further to look into! Good luck finding birth records in a country where the number of children a family can have is limited, and many are sold as soon as their born because the parents are not of age to be married, or get a license to have a child. It is what it is, and just appreciate the fact that the US was able to get silver. BTW, the US had the chance to win it, and they lost it. They didn’t lose it unfairly, they lost it in competition.

But these are just some random thoughts from a blogger.