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<p>While I agree, what, then, is the Chinese obsession with thinness about (someone mentioned a size 4 being huge by Chinese standards)? I would think it would be the opposite, according to this theory.</p>
<p>I guess the situation doesn’t surprise me. China wants to put its best foot forward and the opening cermonies were a performance designed to do so. This is an authoritarian regime and it can and will do whatever it deems best. I put bumping the kid with the better voice in favor of one they considered better looking in the same category as doctoring passports for underage gymnasts–both actions stink.</p>
<p>Of course, whether there is a point to setting a minimum age in a sport (if you’re better than those older than you, why should you be prevented from competing? Isn’t the Olympics about the best, strongest and fastest?) is another issue.</p>
<p>I heard about it. This is really sad.</p>
<p>I see both actions as similar. In each instance you have a government that cares more about its image and winning than it cares about individuals.</p>
<p>As I understand it, there were a couple reasons why the IOC set a minimum age in gymnastics – has to do with the extreme pressure of younger children, growth issues, etc. My sister, who is a gymnastics judge, says younger children are also more flexible.</p>
<p>The point is, though, that the IOC made the rule and everyone needs to respect it.</p>
<p>But one of the gymnasts is missing a tooth. I don’t understand why they couldn’t have found a stand in for her who had more perfect teeth.</p>
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<p>Of course these two things are unrelated. The first is a show. It’s show biz. Hollywood does it all the time with body doubles, stand-ins, air brushed pictures of stars with body parts enhanced. We’ve had movies in which the stars didn’t really do the actual singing. The opening ceremony is a show, it’s not the olympics, it’s a production.</p>
<p>Why couldn’t the Chinese find a cute girl who could also sing? After all, there are one billion people in the country…</p>
<p>That little girl who did the singing is actual one of a set of triplets. Her other sisters are competing in diving and gymnastics.</p>
<p>LOL, Washdad!</p>
<p>WashDad: :)</p>
<p>Cbreeze–Why do you think the Chinese go out and find girls whose body lines are such that they have the potential to do well in gymnastics and then take these kids and put them in rigorous training programs at very young ages? They do it because they want to win at the Olympics and put on a show that has a worldwide audience. IMO athletic competition for the Chinese is just as much a performance as the opening ceremonies–there’s just more to orchestrating a win in competition, i.e., like doctoring passports.</p>
<p>The Chinese government wants the world to know everything in China is beautiful and has high quality. This includes but is not limited to fake milk that kills Chinese children, fake pet food and lead-painted toys imported to the US. They want the world to see the Great Wall that divided China and Mongolia as two different countries for thousand years but they also want to include Tibet and other parts of Mongolia in their territory. Only American investors and politicians are naive about this.</p>
<p>Wow, you guys are certainly judgmental, do you have anything positive to say?</p>