The camera zooms in on a pale young girl’s face drenched in make-up. The crowd roars and flashes go off everywhere as Yang Yilin of China’s women’s gymnastics team takes her position to compete. Her eyes move in every direction as if wishing that so many people would not be watching her. She throws a nervous smile at the crowd which instantly turns to a frown.  Despite her anxiety, she successfully completes her event to win the gold.  

Are these so called “women” old enough to compete at such a level? According to the Olympic rules, the gymnasts must be at least sixteen years old, (born in 1992 or earlier), to compete.  The International Federation of Gymnastics determined this minimum age because at an earlier age the athlete’s bones and muscles have not yet completely developed.  

The coach of the Chinese team claims that Yang is fifteen to sixteen years of age.  However, a person that old can not look so young. American gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi says “that they (look) like girls who (have) just rummaged through their mothers makeup.”