Comments on: Shocker: Liu Xiang quits Olympic match http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/quickies/shocker-liu-xiang-quits-olympic-match/ No-nonsense China Expat & Travel Community Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:53:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sean http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/quickies/shocker-liu-xiang-quits-olympic-match/#comment-10976 Sean Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:17:38 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/?p=770#comment-10976 I agree on one level: -They were not doping -The rule is not about age in the sport creating advantage -The rule was put in place to protect kids from being "farmed" and exploited. However it seems quite clear to me that the Beijing Gymnastic officials (or whatever they call themselves) made a decision and that decision was to put the underage girls in the Olympics to win gold. They knew what they were doing was illegal and wrong and they still chose to do it. They even went so far as to create fake documents for the young athletes. They should have blocked all the Chinese written web sites with their real ages on them before the games began, but that's another matter. What they did was wrong, pure and simple. On an ethical level this is corrupt and beyond what the Olympic spirit is supposed to be about. The Olympics are about the world coming together and competing with each other on equal footing. But when a nation's judgment is so clouded with the desire to win more gold medals than anyone else, some nations will make ill decisions, and karma has a strange way of rearing its ugly head sometimes. Maybe I lack perspective on the issue, but IMO the Olympics is all about going over the top and over doing things on a grand scale, especially this year. I agree on one level:

-They were not doping
-The rule is not about age in the sport creating advantage
-The rule was put in place to protect kids from being “farmed” and exploited.

However it seems quite clear to me that the Beijing Gymnastic officials (or whatever they call themselves) made a decision and that decision was to put the underage girls in the Olympics to win gold. They knew what they were doing was illegal and wrong and they still chose to do it. They even went so far as to create fake documents for the young athletes. They should have blocked all the Chinese written web sites with their real ages on them before the games began, but that’s another matter. What they did was wrong, pure and simple.

On an ethical level this is corrupt and beyond what the Olympic spirit is supposed to be about. The Olympics are about the world coming together and competing with each other on equal footing. But when a nation’s judgment is so clouded with the desire to win more gold medals than anyone else, some nations will make ill decisions, and karma has a strange way of rearing its ugly head sometimes.

Maybe I lack perspective on the issue, but IMO the Olympics is all about going over the top and over doing things on a grand scale, especially this year.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/quickies/shocker-liu-xiang-quits-olympic-match/#comment-10975 Ryan Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:44:41 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/?p=770#comment-10975 I *think* that the whole gymnast controversy over He Kexin being like 13 needs to be kept in perspective. She wasn't taking performance enhancing drugs and, if anything, her age would be a detriment when competing against slightly older and stronger/more experienced athletes. The rule doesn't exist to prevent a team from gaining an advantage it exists to protect children from being exploited. I doubt the Chinese men's hurdling team's karma is in much jeopardy. I *think* that the whole gymnast controversy over He Kexin being like 13 needs to be kept in perspective. She wasn’t taking performance enhancing drugs and, if anything, her age would be a detriment when competing against slightly older and stronger/more experienced athletes. The rule doesn’t exist to prevent a team from gaining an advantage it exists to protect children from being exploited.

I doubt the Chinese men’s hurdling team’s karma is in much jeopardy.

]]> By: Steve http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/quickies/shocker-liu-xiang-quits-olympic-match/#comment-10974 Steve Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:51:23 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/?p=770#comment-10974 People are going to hate me for saying this, but maybe it is karma for rule breaking gymnasts. People are going to hate me for saying this, but maybe it is karma for rule breaking gymnasts.

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