Officials say China should be stripped of 2000 Olympic bronze medal | Gymnastics

Gymnastics

Investigation shows underage athlete competed for China: China should be stripped of its bronze medal from the 2000 Olympics because one member of the squad has been found to be underage, international gymnastics officials said Friday.

Dong Fangxiao was 14 during the Sydney Games, according to an investigation by the International Gymnastics Federation. Gymnasts must be 16 during the Olympic year to compete.

"Young gymnasts cannot be manipulated," FIG president Bruno Grandi said.

A second gymnast on the 2000 squad, Yang Yun, also was suspected of being underage. But there was insufficient evidence her age had been falsified, and FIG said it was giving her a warning.

FIG has canceled all of Dong's results from Sydney and forwarded its investigation to the International Olympic Committee. Because the case involves the Olympics, it is up to the IOC to decide whether China should lose any medals.

The IOC has said previously it would take "necessary measures" if any gymnasts were found to be underage.

"We can confirm that we have received the ruling from the FIG in the case concerning Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun, and we take due note of their decision," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. "Clearly, we need to take time to consider the findings before the Executive Board can consider the matter."

The United States was fourth at the Sydney Games.

"I'm happy to know that justice is being served," said Dominique Dawes, a member of the 2000 squad.

Zhang Haifeng, the Chinese Olympic Committee's press attache at the Vancouver Games, called the decision an "old story."

"That was in 2000. Now is 2010," he said. "This was 10 years ago."

Age falsification has been a problem in gymnastics since the 1980s.

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