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Ambassador John Herbst discusses American security in a foreign context.
China loses medals because of underage gymnast
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
THURSDAY
April
29
2010
4:30 PM
Dole Institute
April 28 - Ten years after their performance at the Sydney Olympics and two years removed from the most recent age-related controversy in women's gymnastics, the 2000 United States women's team Wednesday was awarded bronze medals after China's team was stripped of its medals for competing with an underage member.
Wednesday's decision by the International Olympic Committee's executive board meeting in Dubai, was based on the findings of an investigation by the International Gymnastics Federation. FIG officials determined that Chinese gymnast Dong Fangxiao was 14 in
team coordinator and instituted a regular series of team training camps at the Karolyi ranch in New Waverly that continues today.
The U.S. squad left Sydney without a medal, the only time since 1976 the American women had failed to win a single Olympic medal. The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games.
"Worlds in 1999 was an eye opener, and that is when we started the semi-centralized system," Penny said. "And then we got to Sydney, and it was a rollercoaster Olympics."
"This now puts a happier face on things for six of our girls, and that's a positive thing."
However, Penny is under no illu
sions that the FIG and IOC decisions will impact the possibility of reopening an inquiry into whether Chinese gymnasts He Kexin, Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin were underage when they competed for China's gold medal winning team in 2008.
"The FIG gave this issue high priority, and everybody put in a lot of time to make sure that they did the right thing," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "We're grateful that so much effort and time has been put into helping give our (2000) kids a medal. It's a great thing."
"That (2008) case is closed," Penn said. "It would take the FIG needing to feel differently than they have" for the case to be reopened.
With that decision, the IOC awarded bronze medals to the 2000 U.S. team of Amy Chow, Jamie Dantzscher, Dominique Dawes, Kristin Maloney, Elise Ray and Tasha Schwikert, who finished fourth in Sydney.
It was unclear Wednesday when the medals will be presented to the six U.S. gymnasts from the 2000 team.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Questions about Dong's age had persisted since the 2000 Games, and they were revived in 2008 amid reports that China's gold medal-winning team at the Beijing Games also included underage gymnasts.
Penny noted that the 2000 team competed at a time of turmilor for USA Gymnastics. After the team finished sixth in the 1999 world championships, USA Gymnastics named Bela Karolyi as national
2000, two years short of the minimum age of 16 during the Olympic year, and should not have been allowed to compete.
Dongs accreditation information for the Beijing Olympics, where she worked as a national technical
official, listed her birthday as Jan. 23, 1986. That would have made her 14 in Sydney. Her birth date in the FIG database is listed as Jan. 20, 1983.