China’s 2008 gold medalists were old enough

China’s Olympic gold medal gymnasts at the Beijing Games were old enough to compete, but the team that won the bronze medal in Sydney eight years ago still faces questions, the international gymnastics federation said today.

The FIG closed the Beijing case after a five-week investigation into the ages of the women’s team.

“Originals of official documents received from the Chinese Gymnastics Association, specifically passports, identity cards and family booklets or Household Registers, confirm the ages of the athletes,” the FIG said in a statement.

But two members of the 2000 squad - Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun - remain under scrutiny.

“The FIG does not consider the explanations and evidence provided to date in regards to these athletes as satisfactory,” the federation said in a statement.

Dong got a Beijing Olympics credential with documents that suggest she was only 14 in 2000, said Andre Gueisbuhler, secretary general of the FIG. Her blog also indicates she was underage in Sydney.

Yang, who also won a bronze medal on the uneven bars in 2000, said in a June 2007 interview that aired on state broadcaster China Central Television that she was 14 in Sydney. Gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year to compete.

“I would hope that the whole world in sport realizes that the FIG is serious about these rules and the ethics and moral questions,” Gueisbuhler said.

Calls to Yang and Dong’s mobile phones rang unanswered Wednesday, a national holiday, as did phone calls to the Chinese gymnastics team’s media officers.

“We are satisfied with the information provided by FIG, and we now consider the (2008) matter closed,” said Emmanuelle Moreau, spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee.

“Clearly they feel that there is more to be looked at for Sydney,” Moreau added. “We encourage them to pursue their inquiry and shed some light on these cases. We now rely on them to get to the bottom of that and get back to us.”

Doubts about the ages of China’s current gymnasts swirled for months before the Beijing Olympics, with media reports and online records suggesting some girls could be as young as 14.

Three days before the games ended, the IOC asked the FIG to look into the matter one last time.

The investigation was expanded after questions were raised about the 2000 team.

China provided the original passports, ID cards and family registers for He Kexin, Yang Yilin, Jiang Yuyuan, Deng Linlin and Li Shanshan, all showing the girls were 16 or would turn 16 this year.

“For the FIG, the age of the Chinese team is well documented and proven,” Gueisbuhler said.

Underage gymnasts have been a problem since the 1980s, when the minimum age was raised from 14 to 15 to protect young athletes from serious injuries. The minimum age was raised to its current 16 in 1997.

The FIG’s statute of limitations in disciplinary matters is five years, and 10 years for criminal cases. Now, the international federation is trying to determine whether Australia or Switzerland would have jurisdiction. If cause is found, the punishment could be as severe as stripping the medals.

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© 2007 The Associated Press