Olympics and China...

I know i have been glued to my TV these past days watching the USA compete in the olympics as I'm sure many of you have. I've been engrossed by Michael Phelps and the team that swam the relay along with the men and women's gymnastics and mens volleyball... Who ever knew mens volleyball was so intense! And they serve fast enough to take your head off.

Im just disheartened by the comments that are being made by other countries about how they are going to smash the americans and crush the americans. This bothers me not so much because the comments are directed at america, and although this is healthy competition, aren't these games supposed to be about unity and goodwill?

The background of the Olympic Creed and the actual creed is as follows:

"This Olympic Creed (or "Olympic Message) has appeared on the scoreboard during Opening Ceremony at every modern Olympic Games. Baron de Coubertin was inspired to adopt this creed after he heard a sermon by the Bishop of Pennsylvania, at a service for Olympic Athletes in 1908. It reminds us that in our life, just like in the Olympics, winning is not the most important thing. It is the ultimate challenge for which we all struggle as we strive to be "Swifter, Higher, Stronger."

'The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well.'"

Taken from: http://www.mapsofworld.com/olympic-trivia/olympic-motto.html

SO... shouldn't this mean that this attitude of crushing and killing and beating which ever country should not be reinforced? Not that these groups should be severely reprimanded, but why doesn't the IOC come out and tell them to shut up and that comments like that aren't in the name of good sportsman ship?

The next thing that is really making me mad is the obviously age problem with the chinese women's gymnastics team. I mean... China, the rest of the world isn't that dumb or blind. my 12 year old sister looks older then some of those girls. And the men have a young guy too. Bela Karolyi has spoken out against this. I agree with him and i disagree with him. He thinks get rid of the age minimum all together, let the 11 and 12 year olds compete. Don't have an age minimum if you cant enforce it. Screw the part about 11 and 12 year olds. Those kids are still babies and they shouldn't feel the pressure of competing on an international level. Most kids that age cant handle the pressure of 5th and 6th grade let alone the olympics.

You have a rule stating the minimum age to compete, enforce it. The IOC needs to grow some balls and step up. Investigate these kids. They have had to compete in other competitions, someone somewhere didn't cover their tracks all the way, i promise.

All of this just makes me really sad to see what these games have turned into...

heres the Bela Karolyi article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081001966.html