Report: Hacker Uncovers Proof Chinese Gymnast Is Underage

[Stinkerbell]

We all knew this anyway... but now with "proof", what will happen?


Thursday , August 21, 2008



A determined U.S. computer expert has delved into cached pages on the Internet to unearth Chinese official documents showing a gymnast who took gold in the uneven bars competition, edging the U.S.'s Nastia Liukin, may indeed be underage.

Controversy over whether He Kexin is under the minimum age of 16 has surrounded her participation in the Beijing Olympics. The latest challenge over the age of the tiny Olympian comes from the discovery through a cyberspace maze of Chinese official documents listing her date of birth.

She may not look as if she has reached the minimum competing age of 16, but China said her passport, issued in February, gives her birthday as Jan. 1, 1992. The International Olympic Committee said proof from her passport is good enough.

The latest unofficial investigation was carried out by computer security expert for the Intrepidus Group, whose site, Stryde Hax, revealed a detailed forensic search for He's age.

Click here for the Stryde Hax site.

Click here to read more on this story from the Times of London.

First he simply tried Google, only to find that an official listing by the Chinese sports administration that had given her age could no longer be accessed. Then he tried the Google cache, only to find that He's name had been removed.

Finally, he tried the cache of Chinese search engine Baidu. There, he found that Baidu lists two spreadsheets in He's name, both giving her date of birth as January 1, 1994 — making her 14 years and 220 days old and too young to compete at the Beijing games.

The lists were compiled by the General Administration of Sport of China.

Even before anyone arrived in Beijing, American media investigations accused China of fielding three athletes below the 16-year-old minimum age threshold. Bela Karolyi, the former U.S. head coach, then reheated the issue by claiming that China "are using half-people" and that their flouting of the regulations was so obvious that "these people think we are stupid."

Liukin, who finished second to He in the uneven bars final would be elevated to the gold medal position should He be disqualified. Britain's Beth Twiddle, who finished in fourth place, would be elevated to the bronze.

"My real age is 16," He said when asked by journalists about the debate. "I don't care what other people say. I want other people to know that 16 is my real age." When asked how she spent her 15th birthday, she paused and then said: "I was with my team. It was an ordinary day."

Just nine months before the Olympics, the Chinese government's Xinhua news agency gave He's age as 13. Officials have since dismissed that report, saying Xinhua had never been given her age and made a mistake.

"Much of the coverage regarding Kexin's age has only mentioned 'allegations' of fraud, and the IOC has ignored the matter completely," said Stryde, who was later named by Information Week as Mike Walker. "I believe that these primary documents, issued by the Chinese state ... rise to a level of evidence higher than 'allegation.'"

It could certainly make a difference to Britain's Tweddle, who at 23 and relatively old for a gymnast may not be able to compete in the 2012 Olympic games in London.

[gator8_24]

 Nothing will happen as the IOC is scared to do anything to offend China.

[arniebear]

Nothing will happen as the IOC is scared to do anything to offend China.

Amen

[harley89]

IOC is a joke when it comes to anything

[Stinkerbell]

Just going through the motions?

Thursday , August 21, 2008


The International Olympic Committee has launched an investigation into allegations that Chinese authorities covered up the true age of gold-medal gymnastics star He Kexin because she is too young to compete, the London Times reports.

An IOC official told The Times that "discrepancies" that have come to light about the age of He Kexin — the host nation's darling, who won gold in both team and individual events — have prompted an inquiry that could result in the gymnast being stripped of her medals.

The investigation was triggered by a U.S. computer expert's claim Thursday that he had uncovered Chinese government documents that he says prove she is only 14 — making her ineligible to compete in the Olympics — rather than 16, as Chinese officials insist.

Mike Walker, a computer security expert, told The Times how he tracked down two documents that he says had been removed from a Chinese government website. The documents, he said, stated that He's birth date was Jan. 1, 1994, making her 14. Her passport shows Jan. 1, 1992, as her birthdate.

He's true age has been a subject of swirling controversy since the Olympic Games began. Questions over her eligibility intensified after she edged out U.S. gymnast Nastia Liukin for the gold medal in the uneven bars on Monday, and was part of China's team gold triumph last week.

The minimum age for female gymnasts was increased from 14 to 15 in 1981, and up to 16 in 1997, to protect the physical and mental health of young athletes.

Nadia Comaneci was 14 when she won her fist Olympic gold medal in 1976. Yet despite her stardom, there were criticisms that young girls were being pushed too hard at an age when their bodies and bones were still growing, causing permanent damage.

There were also concerns about their mental health, because of the pressure of competing on the world stage at such a young age, and that they were vulnerable to exploitation and even physical abuse by coaches.

Click here to read more on this story from the Times of London.

[arniebear]

Sad to say any investigation will come to nothing.  The government has documentation and according to sportscasters/writers this will end the matter.  Even the coaches say they should just drop the age limit, because of the problems it causes.  I think there should be and age limit, they just keep getting younger and younger.  Pretty soon eight year olds will be competing.  Sad that at 16 you are considered to old for the sport.  It goes along with Figure Skating, another sport riddled with problems.  Back awhile (showing my age) it used to be about the Figures, which counted for a great deal of the score, now Figures were dropped and it is a jump contest. 

[harley89]

there are many talented athletes around the world under the age of 16, If they compete well enough to make it to the games then they deserve the right to do so.  China if deemed necessary will removed a talented child from their parents and make training the number 1 thing in their life.  AS seen by the documentation the age limit doesn't really matter to some countries so why waste time enforcing it only on those countries deemed safe to punish

[Stinkerbell]

This whole thing makes me so angry I may never eat egg rolls again.   :o

[harley89]

This whole thing makes me so angry I may never eat egg rolls again.   :o

Cant join in that protest Chinese food is my big weakness

[Stinkerbell]

Cant join in that protest Chinese food is my big weakness

Me too, Harl.  Me too.   

[Tara]

 <:>

[Homer]

Cant join in that protest Chinese food is my big weakness