Regarding Chinese gymnastics.........

I found this interesting on one of my adoption blogs - it is one person asking questions and the response from an American living in China...

Just wondering about Fei Chang, she is the 20 yr old on the Chinese Gymnastic Team. Now that she has won the gold and now will benefit with a substantial amount of money and endorsements, will she be able to leave the program and go onto college? I'm sure she is proud, but, she did not look like a happy young lady inside. You could just see it on her face.
Response: She will have some endorsements especially if she gets more gold medals during the games. She likely did not get sufficient education while in gymnastics training to go to college. Maybe, but usually not. She will likely go on, as most athletes do in China, to be a coach.

Her's is a bitter-sweet story. They have to endure grueling stretching exercises to turn their feet inward and build muscle strength, not to mention the heartbreaking stories of their childhood being stolen away to a life of Gymnastics.
Response: This is a global story, not just a China issue when it comes to elite gymnasts.

Does the Government provide tickets and accomodations to these girls
families to be at the Olympics with their daughters?
Response: I am sure the parents are given tickets but not sure about the other aspects such as hotel rooms, meals, etc.

I happen to have photos that include three of the gymnasts on the current China team who trained in Beijing at the Shichahai sports training institute when they were 4-6 years of age in 2002. My daughter was 9-10 at the time taking an expat gymnastics class, she's now 15. That makes those gymnasts around 12 years old. Even China Daily has reported that 4 gymnasts were under the age of 16. I worry that they will be stripped of their medals! These kids have spent their lives in residential gymnastics training. The women's coach was one of their coaches even in 2002.