China Loses Bronze Medal After Gymnast Discovered to Be Underage
Dong Fangxiao
China was ordered to return one of its bronze medals from the 2000 Summer Olympic Games for using an underage athlete, the International Olympic Committee's executive board ruled.
Gymnast Dong Fangxiao, who helped lead the women's gymnastics team to third place in the women's team event, was discovered to be two years below the age minimum of 16 at the time of the competition. Dong's results from the 2000 Sydney games, including the women's all-team event, have been canceled.
Watch the women's gymnastics team medal ceremony from the 2000 Summer Olympics
Dong's real birth date — Jan. 23, 1986 — was uncovered by the International Gymnastics Federation in unspecified official documents.
Wednesday's ruling follows a decision made in February by the federation to invalidate Dong's results. Besides the all-team event, Dong's individual scores in the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and all-around events have all been revoked.
China has been ordered to return all medals. The bronze medal will go to the United States 2000 women's gymnastics Olympic team, which placed fourth in the all-team event at Sydney.