2008 Gymnasts Old Enough; 2000 Gymnasts Still Under Investigation

The 2008 Chinese women's Olympic team Photo © Al Bello / Getty Images (Click to enlarge photo)

The FIG announced in a statement that it has closed the investigation into the ages of the 2008 Olympic gymnasts. "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 statement says. Based on the FIG's report, the IOC has closed the matter as well.

The FIG has not yet determined that Yang Yun and Dong Fangxiao were old enough to compete in 2000, however. According to the Associated Press, Dong applied for a 2008 Olympics credential with documents that indicate she was only 14 in 2000, and her personal blog says she was born in the Year of the Ox in the Chinese zodiac, (2/20/1985 to 2/8/1986), which would make her too young for Sydney. Yang Yun had said on Chinese National Television that she was 14 when she compete in the 2000 Olympics.

So the 2008 investigation is closed, and though the 2000 one is technically still open, I doubt the FIG will sanction China eight years after the fact, even if the evidence is there. What do you think?

More on the age controversy:

• Information the FIG requested from the Chinese federation
• Possible evidence of the Chinese gymnasts' ages
• All about the current age limit rules