China accepts IOC decision … or not

UPDATE

China respects the IOC will be returned within one week punishment Olympic gymnastics bronze

A Chinese site, sports.qq.com, seems to confirm:

… China news agency, Beijing, April 29 (Reporter Gao Kai) – The Chinese Olympic Committee and the Chinese Gymnastics Association, said the International Olympic Committee will respect the penalties handed over within a week the Sydney Olympics bronze medal women’s gymnastics team.

Google translation of the article

It quotes General Administration of Sport Gymnastics Management Center Director Luo Chaoyi, so should be official.

Thanks ZhongguoJiayou for the link.

==== original post:

This is a surprise.

I expected a complete denial. Or that some scapegoat would be blamed, capital punishment the solution.

An article several hours old by ANITA CHANG:

The Chinese Gymnastics Association said Thursday it is “pained” by the ruling to strip its women’s team of a bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics for using an underage athlete but respects the decision.

The International Gymnastics Federation found that Dong Fangxiao was only 14 during the 2000 Games. The International Olympic Committee then ordered China to return their medals, which will now be awarded to the United States. Gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year to be eligible.

“We are pained over this incident. We will learn a lesson and further strengthen all kinds of administrative work on athletes and resolutely prevent a similar incident from happening again,” the Chinese association said in a statement carried by the official Xinhua News Agency. “The attitude and stance of the Chinese Gymnastics Association is completely the same as that of the IOC.”

News that China was losing its bronze over age falsification was reported only briefly in the country’s entirely state-run media. Such an incident is considered hugely embarrassing to the communist government in the sports-crazy country that puts heavy emphasis on Olympic achievement.

The Chinese statement did not say who was responsible for the apparent age falsification or whether the gymnastics association was involved. …

AP – China respects IOC decision on underage gymnast

Update:

AP – China says no evidence gymnast was underage

AP – STORY REMOVED: The Associated Press has withdrawn its story …

What is the official reaction, then, of the Chinese government?