Valeri Liukin says dump the age rule

BEIJING -- It's not sour grapes now.

Nastia Liukin's father and coach, Valeri Liukin, said the international gymnastics federation would be wise to eliminate the age rule that requires gymnastics athletes to be at least 16 or turn 16 during the year they compete in the Olympics and world championships.

The issue has been in the forefront of gymnastics discussion because of some evidence that three of the girls on the gold medalist Chinese team may be too young to compete.

Liukin, who turns 19 in October, just missed that cut-off for the 2004 Olympics. Athens all-around gold medalist Carly Patterson trained at the gym run by Valeri Liukin, WOGA in Parker, Texas, and Rebecca Bross, a 14-year-old who also trains at the gym, was just shy of being old enough for these Games.

"It's a shame Rebecca couldn't compete this year," said Valeri Liukin. While he wouldn't criticize China directly, he said, gymnastics would be better off without an age limit. "Let everybody compete and be fair," he said. "That's the best way."

-- Diane Pucin

Photo: Gold medalist Nastia Liukin poses with her father and coach, Valeri Liukin, on Friday in Beijing. Credit: Julian Finney / Getty Images

Comments

[Sonia Kermaz]

If adults didn't exploit children, there would be no need for age rules. Gymnastics is the most physically punishing sport to push a child into. Whether pushed into a gym by a parent or a government, children are victims not volunteers.

[Matt]

I agree with the coach.

And Sonia Kermaz, what age do you think these girls start training at? Do you really think they started training after 16? I really want to know when Liukin started training, I wouldn't be surprised if it's before she turned 5. It's not exploit when the kid has interests towards it.

[Jennifer Hussein Kim]

Um, according to the Liukins, Nastia was a volunteer. Her parents discouraged her at first but couldn't stop her. Adults DO exploit children everywhere in so many things, yes, and not just in sports. But setting this "protective" 16 year old rule seems less a strike against child expolitation and more an arbitrary, officious measure at best, and ratings ploy. Is it really that much more protective and morally sound when 16 year old and older are given the permission to be exploited and punished, by your line of reasoning? Puhleez. What meaning is there to the BEST in the WORLD when many athletes qualified by their abilities are barred from competing in the first place? As we saw in the individual all around, a mature, seasoned athlete giving a finished, sophisticated, nuanced performance more than sufficiently demonstrated that younger age isn't necessarily an unfair advantage. Ever hear of Chusovitina? She competed in her fifth Olympics this year, at well over 30, post motherhood, in gymnastics. What the sports needs to do is to give proper credits IN SCORING to this thing called finesse. Just setting up an arbitrary age isn't the answer. Many females over 16 can possess bodies of 10 year olds. Age limiting will NOT in any way stop children, and their adult minders, from pushing their bodies to the limits. Gymnasts, like many disciplines that require a lot of muscle memory reliance, start out early and push push push. Like piano playing, ballet, and so many other things, it's something that you LOSE when you don't practice enough. It's not necessarily ABUSE; some of us call it passion and dedication, and in some cases it's downright obsession. But excellence usually does involve obsession. And it's not always unhealthy. Abnormal to others' eyes, perhaps. But to those of us addicted to excelling in things, it's fun and extremely gratifying. Please think before you give things you don't understand UGLY names.

[adfi]

shame on Liukin, she was using her father's relationship,
Shawn is the best ever!

[tom]

I feel that Valeri Liukin is a very generous person. He commented in a very fair manner with no bias even though her beautiful daught should have dervered more gold medals than anyone else. He is the one who demonstrates and shows repsect to the spirit of Olypmic.