[Yudster]

Look at this -
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-New ... et%2BMedal
I've been saying this for weeks. I want to know who is responsible for ratifying the birth dates of the Chinese gymnasts. I don't believe more than one of them is over 16, and one of them I wouldnt be surprised if she was as young as 11.

[S4B]

Oooh that's interesting. I wonder if it'll get proven?

[MK Chris]

Look at this -
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-New ... et%2BMedal
I've been saying this for weeks. I want to know who is responsible for ratifying the birth dates of the Chinese gymnasts. I don't believe more than one of them is over 16, and one of them I wouldnt be surprised if she was as young as 11.

I heard about this on the radio this morning; they do look very young. I wasn't aware they had to be 16 to be honest.

[S4B]

I wondered if they'd been using the hormone suppressants again but looks like Yuds was right again, as usual.

[Yudster]

Oooh that's interesting. I wonder if it'll get proven?

This is my point - who is responsible for confirming that the girls birth dates are genuine? Well, presumably, the Chinese authorities. So realistically, they can say whatever they like, can't they? Intensive training for a sport like gymnastics can and often will delay the onset of puberty, but there is clearly more than that going on with the Chinese girls. And whilst they know that nothing is going to be proved, why would they care that people have noticed?

[S4B]

I'm sure the Chinese have covered their tracks very well. I hate cheating!

[Yudster]

I hate cheating!

Yes, all kinds.

[S4B]

I hate cheating!

Yes, all kinds.

Only in competitions and exams.

[MK Chris]

But in other situations it's OK?

What's your take on cheating in, say, quizzes?

[S4B]

Another one stripped of her medal!

A quiz is a competition is it not?

[MK Chris]

Another one stripped of her medal!

If you're talking about the hepathlete, Lyudmila Blonska, then she tested positive days ago.. this is just confirmation of the inevitable. It's the second time she's been caught out.

I like Kelly Sotherton's idea of another medal ceremony for the poor woman who would otherwise miss out on probably the proudest moment of her life.

A quiz is a competition is it not?

I would have said so, I was interested in your opinion.

[Yudster]

Cheating is an attitude - to me it means getting your way through dishonesty and with disregard of the rights of others. I don't like it in any aspect of life to be honest.

[Zoot]

Cheating is an attitude - to me it means getting your way through dishonesty and with disregard of the rights of others. I don't like it in any aspect of life to be honest.

What about cheating death?

[Yudster]

Ok, I'll put up with cheating as an aspect of death - I still don't like it in life though! It'll always be there though.

[MK Chris]

I actually don't know how people who cheat can live with themselves knowing they've cheated not only their fellow competitors, but themselves and their nations. Even on a smaller scale (say, a message board quiz), you are cheating yourself. Cheating is an absolute abomination.

Yudster is right though, as long as there are methods of dishonestly obtaining results, there will be people who choose those methods; and as much as the authorities find ways of stamping a particular method or drug out, there will be others that are harder to trace to take their place.

[S4B]

Heather Fell has the Silver in the modern pentathlon!

[S4B]

The judging in the Taekwondo was just wrong! Poor Aaron Cook! That was just crap judging! Strange he was up against the home favourite too. hmm

[MK Chris]

have you noticed how many Chinese medals are coming in sports that where judging is involved? Diving and gymnastics, for example?

[S4B]

Well that's the women's 4 x 100m screwed up then.

[MK Chris]

I didn't expect them to medal. Where did they finish? It's looking like bronze for Tony Jeffries.

[S4B]

They screwed up and didn't finish. Second handover was rubbish, they didn't drop it but she ran out of her box without the baton. We would have medalled (is that really a word?) as the Jamaicans screwed up too! Bloody Belgians got a Silver! Russia got gold I think they are now only 1 behind us!

[Bruvva]

Please stop using "medal" as a verb.

[S4B]

I'm only copying the BBC!

[Bruvva]

Well they're wrong. It's a horrible Americanism and should be stamped on. We'll be using "winningest" next.

[MK Chris]

They screwed up and didn't finish. Second handover was rubbish, they didn't drop it but she ran out of her box without the baton. We would have medalled (is that really a word?) as the Jamaicans screwed up too! Bloody Belgians got a Silver! Russia got gold I think they are now only 1 behind us!

Correct.. but I would expect it to be close anyway. I predict we will finish on either 19 or 20 gold medals (plus one or two more silver or bronze), depending on how David Price gets on in the super-heavyweight semi-final. Apparently our Taekwondo girl is . The Russians may or may not beat that, but regardless of whether they do or not, we still have every right to be proud of what we've achieved at these Olympics.. if someone had offered us fourth place beforehand, we'd have snapped their arm off, no doubt about that.

Please stop using "medal" as a verb.

I've picked it up from someone else who was doing it.. apologies.

We'll be using "winningest" next.

Haha. I read that on an American web site the other day.. it's bloody funny that they consider that a word.