Comments on: punish China, not gymnast Dong Fangxiao

By: Dong Fangxiao: Underage Chinese Gymnast (Biography) » RightFielders Women in Sports

Sat, 01 May 2010 20:24:06 +0000

[...] people thought that Dong shouldn’t be punished and argued that probably she didn’t even know that her passport had been falsified or that she [...]

By: PolyisTCOandbanned

PolyisTCOandbanned — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:13:05 +0000

So if you’re poor, I guess it’s ok to steal? (by analogy)

By: TP

TP — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 06:08:50 +0000

When the government is control of the information you receive, I can see how you could not be aware of age rules of something that happens every four years.

By: Andy T

Andy T — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:43:34 +0000

A little dramatic Tracy, but I do understand your points. Their system is much different than ours and motivations to compete can be very different as well – agreed. And as I stated, I certainly don’t doubt how difficult (or nearly impossible) it would be to say no to your coaches in a situation like that…just have a hard time believing those girls and their families are somehow completely prevented from knowing the rules of the sport. If they were 6 years old competing in some low-profile event, I might believe differently, but for world class-athletes training for the Olympics…sorry, I don’t buy it.

By: IDav

IDav — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:19:20 +0000

Okay, by the rules she shouldn’t have been there – but the fact that she was younger, in human terms means that her achievements mean even more. She loses her medal but will always remember that she had the skill to beat out her older rivals. Also, as a China watcher, I echo completely what Tracy says – an accurate and insightful analysis of where this girl would have been at!

By: Kennedy

Kennedy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:51:46 +0000

Took the words out of my mouth, Tracy.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:16:22 +0000

Interesting. I Do think it’s possible that the gymnast didn’t know the rules. These gymnasts live in sport schools with very little access to the outside world, let alone internet. What little internet they see is ENTIRELY controlled by the government. When it comes to “standing up to their coaches” I think the additude stated above is VERY naive. The pressure on these girls is much more than that of the western athlete. They know that their winning or losing will hugely effect the welfare of their family. Whether or not to compete when told to by the sports governing bodies is not the same choice as it is for us. Competing and winning can move your family into an entire different world.
Do a little research into the life of the average chinese farmer or factory worker. They give their children to the sports school in an effort to improve the quality of their lives in the future and for future generations.
Even if she did know, she wasn’t entirely able to say no. It’s hard to stand up morally when doing so may send your family back to a poverty situation….
Just my 2 bits.

By: MoreRighteousThanYou

MoreRighteousThanYou — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:13:36 +0000

No victory like a pyrrhic victory (10 years late, no less). Nothing will erase the fact that the 2000 US Oympic team sucked.

By: IOC Strips China of 2000 Olympics Bronze Team Medal

IOC Strips China of 2000 Olympics Bronze Team Medal — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:06:51 +0000

[...] Coaching: Punish China, not gymnast Dong Fangxiao and Olympic Bronze Medal for American [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:58:49 +0000

1. She is now at least 24.
2. She actually lives in New Zealand, now.
3. There’s been enough publicity about the case that she should have worked with investigators.
4. She worked during the Beijing Olympics. You think she would have researched some of the rules for gymnastics and asked questions about her 2000 eligibility.

If she had worked with investigators, I imagine they would have let her keep the medal, awarded a co-medal for the American team, and then heavily fined the Chinese sports authorities. But she didn’t.