IOC to probe Chinese gymnast's age
- 00:01:36
- ITN
IOC to probe Chinese gymnast's age
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has asked the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to investigate claims that Chinese double gold medallist He Kexin is younger than the eligible age to compete in the Games. Kexin became a darling of the Chinese nation at the Beijing Olympics after she won gold medals in both individual and team disciplines on the asymmetric bars. She was registered as having been born on January 1,1992. Gymnasts must turn 16 in the year of the Games to be allowed to compete, but there are suspicions from some quarters that she is younger than that. An IOC spokesperson said: "Given that there have been some discrepancies regarding her age that have come to light, we have asked the FIG to look into this matter. "It is because of these discrepancies that we have asked for this investigation to start." He's age has been under scrutiny since the start of the Games and various media have reported she had competed in past events under a different birth date. A US computer expert had said in emails to the media on Thursday he had uncovered Chinese state documents that proved He was born in 1994 and not 1992, making her only 14 years old. Chinese head coach Huang Yubin said all their gymnasts had complied with age requirements, telling a news conference: "Since Asian bodies are not the same as Westerners', there have been questions. But there shouldn't be." Kexin, who pipped American Nastia Liukin under the tiebreak rule to snatch one of her golds, has repeatedly faced questions over her age at news conferences. Each time she has replied: "My real age is 16. I don't care what other people say." As well as Kexin, others who have come under scrutiny in the American media for their age are her team mates Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin. They were not named by the IOC in its call for an investigation. China have had their most successful showing in the gymnastics at an Olympics, winning nine gold medals out of the 14 up for grabs.
ITN | August 22, 2008
