U.S. 'Women' to Face Chinese 'Girls' in Olympic Gymnastics

In what may be the most anticipated event of these Olympic Games, American gymnasts Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin will compete for the individual all-around title against, among others, China's Yang Yilin and Jiang Yuyuan, with perhaps a billion people around the world watching on live TV tonight (Friday morning in Beijing).

But while women's gymnastics has mostly been spared the performance-enhancing drug scandals that have plagued other Olympic sports, Americans are increasingly convinced that China is engaging in another kind of cheating, by permitting underage gymnasts to compete.

Since 1997, International Olympic Committee rules have been clear: To compete in the Games, gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year. Do the Chinese gymnasts look old enough to you?

They don't to me, and they don't to legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, who complained that some of China's gymnasts were "obviously kids," and they don't to Selena Roberts of Sports Illustrated, who wrote that they "looked like girls who had just rummaged through their mothers' makeup."

And then this morning, the Associated Press uncovered a report from late last year in which China's state-run news service said gymnast He Kexin was 13 -- meaning she shouldn't have been allowed to compete in these Games. Other American media reports have cast doubt on the ages of Yang and Jiang.

But compete she did, and she already has a gold around her neck. As Americans, we don't want to sound like we're complaining because the Chinese gymnasts beat the Americans in the team competition, and the International Olympic Committee doesn't want to do anything to upset the host nation. But this is a serious issue surrounding a major sporting event.

And just looking at the 16-year-old Johnson and the 18-year-old Liukin alongside the (allegedly) 16-year-old Yang and Jiang, it's difficult to shake the feeling that we're watching American women against Chinese girls. So far the IOC says there's no proof, but there's so much smoke that it's extremely hard to believe that there's no fire.

Chinese Womens Gymnastics Team

China's yang Yilin poses during the women's team final of the artistic gymnastics event of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing on August 13, 2008. China won the gold, while United States won the silver and Romania the bronze. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Jiang Yuyuan of China competes in the uneven bars during the artistic gymnastics team event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jiang Yuyuan

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Jiang Yuyuan of China celebrates after finishing her floor exercise routine in the artistic gymnastics team event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jiang Yuyuan

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Li Shanshan of China holds up her gold medal with teammate Jiang Yuyuan and their coach after the women's team final of the artistic gymnastics event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Li Shanshan;Jiang Yuyuan

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Deng Linlin of China celebrates after finishes her balance beam routine in the artistic gymnastics team event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Deng Linlin

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Li Shanshan of China performs on the balance beam during the women's team final of the artistic gymnastics event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Li Shanshan

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Li Shanshan of China hugs her coach after her team won the gold medal in the women's team final of the artistic gymnastics event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Li Shanshan

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: He Kexin of China waves to the crowd after receiving her gold medal in the team final event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** He Kexin

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Shawn Johnson of the United States is congratulated by Cheng Fei of China after the team final event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Johnson;Cheng Fei

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BEIJING - AUGUST 13: Shawn Johnson of the United States is congratulated by He Kexin of China after the team final event at the National Indoor Stadium during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Johnson;He Kexin

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