1 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Playing Dirty Sports Scandals. I'm your host, 2 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: Jay Harris. I've had over twenty years of experience as 3 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: a journalist and sportscaster, hosting a variety of ESPN shows 4 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: from Sports Center to Outside the Lines. On this show, though, 5 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: I'm not just giving you the blow by blow, I'm 6 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: taking you way behind the scenes into the heart of 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: the scandals that's shocked and sometimes forever changed the world 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: of sports. People who play sports are still human. It's 9 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: natural to look up to the Lebron James and Michael 10 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: Phelps of the world who achieved feats previously relegated to 11 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: the likes of superheroes like Spider Man and Captain Marvel. 12 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, our sports idols 13 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: are just like the rest of us in the ways 14 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: that count the most. We all put our pants on 15 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:04,559 Speaker 1: one leg at a time, we all have our good 16 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: days and our bad days, and we all are fallible. 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: When giants fall, it reverberates. Scandals are juicy. We crave 18 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: them while simultaneously being appalled by them. Going behind the 19 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: scenes to check out what really happened allows us to 20 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: imagine lives that we don't lead. That's pretty cool. Dare 21 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: I say even a little refreshing. Let's be honest here, 22 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: we're all friends, right. It's natural for people to derive 23 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: vicarious pleasure and the rule breaking of others, in witnessing 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: the exaggerated sense that there are good and bad people, 25 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: and being empowered to ask for forgiveness from the transgressors, 26 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: and to be distracted from the tedium of our own lives. Ah. Yes, 27 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: whether we like to admit it or not, Psychologists the 28 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: world over would concur that us humans are drawn to 29 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: scandal like moths to a flame, and the one we're 30 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: flipping into today is among the juiciest. So make like 31 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,559 Speaker 1: an athlete, grab that thirst quencher, drink up and join 32 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: me flipping, tumbling, spinning and winning. Who knows. Today we're 33 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,679 Speaker 1: going to crack open one of the most infamous Olympic 34 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: gymnastics scandals, the mayhem and mischief of the two thousand 35 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: Sydney Olympics Games. It's not every day, every four years, 36 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: or even once a century, that most countries have a 37 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: metal strip for breaching child protection regulations, but the cloud 38 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: of underage competitors in Sydney signaled a storm for the 39 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: world of gymnastics and the Olympic movement in sports, and 40 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: particularly at the Olympics, where the very top athletes in 41 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: the world lay everything on the line to compete for gold. 42 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: Sometimes the goal of winning overshadows judgment, resulting in unthinkable 43 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: and even criminal behaviors. To be fair, two thousand was 44 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: a wild year before the world converged in Sydney. It 45 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: was the turn not just of the century, but of 46 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 1: the millennium. Y two K. It was called Everyone predicted 47 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: a computer catastrophe that never happened. The United States needlessly 48 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: spent around one hundred billion dollars preparing for the Y 49 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 1: two K that wasn't. NFL coach Bill Belichick became the 50 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: coach of the New England Patriots, ushering in an era 51 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: that would see him lead the Patriots, along with a 52 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: guy named Tom Brady, to a remarkable six Super Bowl wins. 53 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: And speaking of six championships, two thousand was also the 54 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: year six time NBA champion Michael Jordan returned to the NBA, 55 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: this time as the owner of the Washington Wizards. Michelle 56 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: Kwan lands seven triple jumps to become the first American 57 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: woman to win three World championships. In figure skating since 58 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: American legend Peggy Fleming. Finally, Tiger Woods wins his first 59 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: US Open Championship golf, and it's fair to say another 60 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: sports legend destined to wobble on his own scandalous tightrope 61 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: enters the scene. Bottom line. Two thousand was already a 62 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: full on action, packed up and down year before Sydney happened. 63 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: The Sydney Olympic Games started out like a great date. 64 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: The opening ceremony was spectacular, fireworks all over the place, 65 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: horses running around with impassioned riders waving flags, a packed 66 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: cheering audience, inspiring music, stomping dancers, and a nice tribute 67 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: with Australian Aboriginal four hundred meter champion Kathy Freeman lighting 68 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: the famous Olympic cauldron. The Australians wowed the world and 69 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: we were all on the edge of our seats wanting more. Sadly, 70 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: our love affair with the Sydney Games was marred because 71 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: two parties, both alike in dignity, were feuding. These guys 72 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: were far larger and more domineering than the Capulates and 73 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: Montague's had ever been for Romeo and Juliet. Heck, these 74 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: entities and odds were actually two superpowers, the United States 75 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: of America and China. These countries entered the two thousand 76 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: Olympic Games already at one another's throats, and the gymnasts 77 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: on their women's teams at the Sydney Superdome were competing 78 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: under a shadow of corruption that knew no bounds, as 79 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: capitalism and communism vied for global recognition of superior governance. 80 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: The truth is that the US women's gymnastics team had 81 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: a lot to live up to going into Sydney. Just 82 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: four years before, the US women's gymnastics team, made up 83 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: of Carrie Strugg, Dominic Dawes, Amanda Borden, J C. Phelps, 84 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 1: Shannon Miller, Amy Chow, and Dominique Mucianu had been dubbed 85 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 1: the Magnificent Seven for their incredible gold medal winning performances 86 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: at the nineteen ninety six Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. 87 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: They were less. Carrie Strug, in particular, had vaulted into 88 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: the history books and led the team to victory on 89 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: an ankle with torn ligaments. To put this in context, 90 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: tears in the ligaments of the knee often ends entire 91 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: seasons for the men of the National Football League, sometimes 92 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: even careers and strug was barely eighty seven pounds and 93 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: just eighteen years old, and she injured her ankle on 94 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: the first of two vaults, which means she had to 95 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: pound down the vault runway, strike the beatboard with all 96 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 1: her might, and land after flipping and twisting in the air. 97 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: This feat is also known as a springboard, where the 98 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: gymnast takes a run, gathers momentum as he or she 99 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: nears the apparatus, rebounds off the springboard, and with hands 100 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: on the apparatus, vaults over it. Would you feel like 101 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 1: springing on an ankle with torn ligaments while the whole 102 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: world watched you? Judging that kind of athletic and mental 103 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: courage is a lot to live up to. It is extraordinary. 104 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: Dominic Dawes was also smashing through glass as the first 105 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: African American woman to make the national team. The Sydney 106 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: Olympics would be the third Olympics for the trailblazing gymnastics 107 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: competitor Dominic Dawes. But despite the magnitude of the Magnificent 108 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: seven US women's gymnastic team's accomplishments at the Atlanta Olympic 109 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: Games in Sydney four years later. Gymnast Amy Chow, jam 110 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: Jamie Dansher, Dominic Dawes, Christian Maloney, Elise Ray, and Tasha 111 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: Schweikert all believed they were up to the task. They 112 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: were the US women's gymnastics team for two thousand. They 113 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: too had Olympic spirit and strong personal resolve. Dawes and 114 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: Chow were part of the gold medal winning team from 115 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: ninety six and they anchored the team. Elise Ray, aged eighteen, 116 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,239 Speaker 1: came into the Sydney Olympics as reigning US national champion. 117 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: There were high hopes the US could repeat as Olympic champions. 118 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: In the words of Dominic Dawes, when teams work together, 119 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: they win together. But the Chinese women's gymnastics team believed 120 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: themselves to be up to the task in two thousand 121 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: and two, and they were undoubtedly serious competition. Once an underdog, 122 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: the Chinese gymnastics team had risen the world prominence in 123 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: the lead up to Sydney. This wasn't by chance. Their 124 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: states sponsored recruiting and training, which sees athletes taken from 125 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: their parents as young as four years old. If they 126 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: show early talent stands in start contrast to the individualistic 127 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: approach of the United States. One Chinese sporting official Till 128 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: of the New York Times that children from rural areas 129 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: or from families that are not so good economically, they 130 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: adapt especially well to the hardships. This myopic mindset, where 131 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: winning is more important than child welfare, presented and continues 132 00:08:52,679 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: to pose a formidable challenge. It wasn't until nineteen eighty 133 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: that Olympic athletes from the United States were even permitted 134 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: to earn money through sponsorships, So while China's athletes had 135 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: financial support while training, it was up to the US 136 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: athletes to obtain their own sponsors. As a result, many 137 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 1: of them went into the Sydney Olympic Games without anything. 138 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: Insider reviewed a survey of five hundred elite athletes, and 139 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: sixty percent sixty percent said that they felt financially unstable. 140 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: Can you imagine hitting the gym at least seven hours 141 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: a day, starting at six am, six days a week, 142 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: where you're not sure you can afford to make rent 143 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: next month. In contrast, Chinese olympians have been and continued 144 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: to be sponsored by their government with housing, coaching, training, 145 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 1: and living expenses. Covered in full. The two thousand Olympic 146 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: stage was set for a physical and ideological showdown between 147 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: two gymnastic and political powerhouses, the United States of America 148 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: and China. Okay, taking a big sip of my juice here, 149 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: because before we do the blow by blow of how 150 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 1: Sidney played out, you have to know, really know who 151 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: Dong Fang Shiao is. Otherwise it's like I'm trying to 152 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: tell you about the Netflix show Inventing Anna without explaining 153 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: who fake heiress Anna Delvi is first. Nowadays, Dong Fang 154 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: Xiao is a thirty seven year old, nondescript resident of Hamilton, 155 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: the fourth largest city in New Zealand, located on the 156 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: banks of the Waikato River. She teaches gymnastics at the 157 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: Huntley Gym Club. But if you ask her employers anything 158 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: about her past experience with the sport, don't expect them 159 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: to go into detail. After all, Dong had them swear 160 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: to silence about her controversial past as a condition of 161 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: her hiring. That's according to the New Zealand Herald. You 162 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: see back in Sydney in two thousand, Dong was a 163 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: powerhouse gymnast for Team China. At four feet three and 164 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: a quarter inches tall and just under seventy three. Dong 165 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: was notably small, even in a sport where most competitors 166 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: are petite, but she was fierce. Before the Sydney Games, 167 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: Dog had already established herself as a professional gymnast. She 168 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: placed at the Canberra Cup all the way back in 169 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety seven. She was China's highest scoring gymnast in 170 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: the all around at the nineteen ninety nine World Championships, 171 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: and she took bronze in the World Cup at Glasgow 172 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,719 Speaker 1: in two thousand in the floor exercise category. If your 173 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: eyes are glazing over hearing her list of achievements, then 174 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 1: juice up and listen carefully now, because this next piece 175 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,719 Speaker 1: of information is equal parts crucial, tragic, and impressive as 176 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: all get out. When Dong Fengzhiao competed for China and 177 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,839 Speaker 1: the Sydney Olympic Games in two thousand, she was fourteen 178 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: years old. I could barely get my growing self out 179 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: of bed and off to school by eight am at 180 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: fourteen years old, and there was Dong powerfully flipping, tumbling 181 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: and staying composed on sports biggest stage. She must have 182 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: felt like the weight of the world was on her 183 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,719 Speaker 1: small shoulders, but spectators certainly didn't feel her pressure as 184 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: she soared through the air seemingly effortlessly. So how is 185 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: it that this incredible gymnast, indomitable athlete, and composed teenager 186 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: found herself in the center of an international sports scandal. Well, 187 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: here's the deal, the crux of the scandal, if you will. 188 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: Gymnastics is a sport dominated by children. It has been 189 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: ever since. Romania sent fourteen year old Nadia Komenicci to 190 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: the nineteen seventy six Montreal Olympics, and she ruled, achieving 191 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: perfection with the first ever perfect ten in Olympic gymnastics history. 192 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: Comonici's grace, precision, and sheer athleticism set a new standard 193 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: for excellence. She was also incredibly focused and tough. The 194 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: only way to escape fear, she declared, is to trample 195 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: it beneath your feet. The world fell in love with 196 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: Nadia Comonicici, and her stars shone brightly. But there was 197 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 1: a dark side to Cominici's success too. The idea of 198 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: using younger, more flexible, and more athletic girls took off 199 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: like a rocket across competitive gymnastics. Initially said at fourteen 200 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,839 Speaker 1: The minimum age to compete was raised to fifteen in 201 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: the nineteen eighties in an attempt to protect young athletes 202 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: from the serious injuries from sprains and strains to dislocations 203 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: and head injuries that are a hallmark of such a 204 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: difficult sport. Gene Doprak, a prominent sports medicine physician at 205 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, argued point blank that 206 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: a child athlete's immature skeleton just isn't ready to handle 207 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: the day to day stresses that will occur during training. 208 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:48,239 Speaker 1: Stresses imposed on only partly developed systems by competitive gymnastics 209 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: are almost certain to cause physical damage that will continue 210 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: into adulthood. The International Gymnastics Federation, known as FIG pronounced 211 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: like the fruit FIG from its founding origins, and Belgium 212 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: and France implemented another rule change in nineteen ninety seven, 213 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: increasing the minimum age for international competition to sixteen. Around 214 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: this time, studies found that the intense training and serious 215 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: injuries reported actually made gymnastics the most dangerous sport for girls. 216 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: A sixteen year American study of gymnastics injuries concluded that 217 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: gymnastics has injury rates comparable to those found in boys. 218 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: Who play soccer, basketball and hockey. But in a sport 219 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: where serious competition can start as early as age seven, 220 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: the rule changes proved to be a substandard protection. So 221 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: by the time that the Sydney Games rolled around in 222 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: two thousand, countries out to win medals at any cost 223 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: just might be willing to falsify their athlete's ages if 224 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: it helped tip the scales of fate in their favor. 225 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: Don't you think in the People's Republic of China, where 226 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: toddlers were taken from parents to train full time, where 227 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: gojog Win, the head of the Chinese Olympic commit he declared, 228 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: we must resolutely ensure we are first in gold medals 229 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: and we're Olympic champion and sportscaster Matthew Pinsett told the 230 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: BBC that children were being pushed beyond acceptable limits in 231 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: pursuit of excellence. Is it any wonder that questions were 232 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: already brewing when China's pint sized gymnastics star Dong Feng 233 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: Chiao hit the floor. US coach Kelly Hills said they'd 234 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: all heard the rumors that there were suspicions that some 235 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: of the Chinese gymnasts were not at least sixteen years old. 236 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: A storm was brewing with young Dong feng Xiao smack 237 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: in the eye of it. Meanwhile, the US Women's Olympics 238 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 1: gymnastics team was also under a cloud in Sydney, and 239 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: it wasn't just the pressure of living up to expectations 240 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: after the Magnificent Sevens nineteen ninety six goal winning performance 241 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: in Atlanta. It's easy to lay the blame for what 242 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: happened in Sydney solely at China's doorstep, but it's more 243 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: complicated than that. Pushing child gymnasts to the dream and 244 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: the pursuit of national pride of medals is an endemic, 245 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: industry wide disease. That's the truth. The dark, deep roots 246 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: of child exploitation had taken hold in their freedom loving 247 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: anything as possible attitude capitalist country of the United States 248 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: of America two when it came to gymnastics, and this 249 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: reality was on full display with the two thousand US 250 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: Women's Olympics gymnastics team. The head coach of the US 251 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: women's gymnastics team was legendary Hungarian Romanian Bella COOLi and 252 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: his wife Marta. They coached Romanian prodigy Nadiacomonici as she 253 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: scored her perfect tens and changed gymnastics forever. Soon afterward, 254 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: they defected from then communist Romania and immigrated to the 255 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: United States of America. Bella, Coole and Marta have coached 256 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: many American gymnastics legends, including Carrie Strug, Dominic Dawes, and 257 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: Mary lou Rettin. They have also been accused by many 258 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: of these same gymnasts of horrific practices, from starvation to 259 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: physical abuse. In fact, Romanian authors de Jaro Alaru wrote 260 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: in his book Nadia c Secure Tat that the trail 261 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: blazing Nadia Comanici is among the victims who were starved 262 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: to the point of developing eating disorders, slapped and denied 263 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: medical treatment by Bella Coroli. Starving the gymnasts was a 264 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: regular practice by the Corolis. Olara wrote, the girls ate 265 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: toothpaste at night before going to bed. This is how 266 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,719 Speaker 1: hungry they were. In some cases they talked about drinking 267 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: water from the toilet tank in secret, because they were 268 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: often not allowed to drink water. Some ended up suffering 269 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: from bolimia. They became experts in stealing food, which they 270 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: hid in places they thought no one would discover like 271 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: the hem of the curtain. Comanici claimed she had been 272 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 1: slapped and starved for up to three consecutive days. In 273 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: a previously unpublished interview included in Olaro's book, it alleges 274 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: Bella Coroli eight meals, including steak and fries, in front 275 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 1: of the allegedly underfed athletes. This is the coach. This 276 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: is who the United States put in charge of training 277 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: their elite female gymnasts. I look back and feel there 278 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: was a lot of verbal and physical abuse. Dominique Moncianu, 279 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 1: who trained with Bella Coaroli for four years, remembers I 280 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 1: felt it was my problem. We need to educate our 281 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: elite coaches more and have a better approach to teaching 282 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: the athletes about how to be healthy, rather than berate them, 283 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: humiliate them, use tactics that could scar them for life. 284 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: I'm sure Bella saw injuries, but if you were injured, 285 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 1: Bella didn't want to see it, you had to deal 286 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: with it. I was intimidated. He looked down on me. 287 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: He was six feet something and I was four foot nothing. 288 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: Bella Corooli doesn't shy away from his perspective, despite the 289 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: claims which have emerged over the years by nature. I 290 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: am never satisfied, Bella Coroli told The Daily Mail in 291 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 1: an interview, it's never enough. Never. My gymnasts are the 292 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: best prepared in the world, and they win. That's all 293 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: that counts. While the myopic Caroli had coached many Olympians, 294 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: two thousand was the first time he was named the 295 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 1: national team coordinator. This was a big deal for him. 296 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 1: It meant that he decided who would make the Olympic team, 297 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: and he decided what gymnasts would compete on each apparatus 298 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,959 Speaker 1: as part of the team competition. This role requires an 299 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: understanding of the unique strategies that play in gymnastics. Coroli 300 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,880 Speaker 1: had to ensure each of the athletes competing on each 301 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: apparatus was capable of performing a routine that could equal 302 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: or beat those of the athletes from the other countries. 303 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: He also had to decide if each young athlete could 304 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,959 Speaker 1: withstand the harsh glare of the Olympic spotlight, or if 305 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: they might be prone to nerves that could cause metal 306 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: losing mistakes for the team, for the United States and 307 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,679 Speaker 1: for him. Can we really honestly say that the West 308 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: took the high road leading up to the two thousand 309 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,680 Speaker 1: Olympic Games in Sydney. With all of this going on, 310 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 1: even Bella Coroli himself voiced shared ethics, shared beliefs with 311 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: Eastern Chinese training protocol. Coroli said that he disagreed with 312 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: age limits in gymnastics, calling for the International Olympic Committee 313 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: to abolish it. He praised the Chinese for their competitiveness 314 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 1: and skills during the competitions, and said that he objected 315 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: to the possibility that they were being used by their government. 316 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: They do good gymnastics and are a good service for 317 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: the sport. He said. They have the ultimate effective training program. 318 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: You feel it, I feel it. This cannot end well. 319 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 1: We're destined for a sports scandal. The pressure on the 320 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: US and China women's gymnastics teams is boiling over. The 321 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: temptation to bend the rules is peaking, and West and 322 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: East are headed for a face off of unprecedented proportions 323 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 1: on the greatest in international sports stage, the Olympics. The 324 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,439 Speaker 1: first hurdle the US gymnastics team had to overcome at 325 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: Sydney was to actually qualify for the team finals. No 326 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 1: one could have imagined how close they would come to 327 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: a total wipeout. On Sunday, September seventeenth, at least, Ray, 328 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: the US national champion, scored a nine point six eighty 329 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: seven on beam, but Dominic Dawes, normally steady on beam, 330 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 1: had a fall after a difficult skill and only received 331 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: an eight point six on floor. Amy Choo and Krista 332 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:41,159 Speaker 1: Maloney both scored nine point five two five. Ray and 333 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 1: Chow both scored nine point four to six ' eight 334 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: on vault, and Ray even scored the top bar score 335 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: of the day with a nine point six eighty seven, 336 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: but Amy Chow uncharacteristically faltered mid routine and only received 337 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: a nine point four. These scores may sound strong, but 338 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: they were just barely good enough to place the team 339 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: in sixth for the day. The US team had qualified 340 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: for the competition, but their performance didn't bode well for 341 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,479 Speaker 1: a team hoping to win it all. Russia, Romania, and 342 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: China qualified in the first three positions. It was fast 343 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: becoming clear that this US team seemed destined for a 344 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:24,400 Speaker 1: bronze if they could beat the Chinese. Two days later, 345 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: the team competition began. Bellacaroli had decided which athletes would 346 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: compete in each event in an effort to secure that 347 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: coveted team medal in a sport where balance and mental 348 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: focus of paramount, the shaka finishing sixth and qualifying had 349 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: to weigh on these young women and appear to affect 350 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: their performances. In the team finals, Romania and Russia fought 351 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: it out for gold and silver, finishing within a point 352 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: of each other, with Romania winning gold and the Russians 353 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: winning the silver. The US and Chinese teams battle it 354 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 1: out for the bronze, and yet another heartbreak for the 355 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: US women in Sydney, the Chinese team just edged them 356 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: out by one point one point. It was complete heartbreak. 357 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: The US women's gymnastics team's failure to even meddle in 358 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: the team competition generated plenty of bad press back home. 359 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 1: Gymnastics is a highly mental sport, where focus and confidence 360 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 1: or as much of a required skill as any dismount, 361 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,679 Speaker 1: double backflip or full turn. The New York Times alone 362 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: has run several articles throughout the years highlighting this issue, 363 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: most recently when gymnastics legend Simone Biles took a stand 364 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: and spoke out about her mental health struggles. Kristin Maloney, 365 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: a member of the two thousand Olympic team in Sydney 366 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: expressed being pushed to do more than was probably medically 367 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: advisable because she didn't want to show the selection committee 368 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,679 Speaker 1: any signs of weakness. You felt like you had to 369 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: do everything they asked you to, no matter what, no 370 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: matter how injured you were. Maloney said, I remember a 371 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 1: time when I had to come crawling back on the 372 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: vault runway because my shin was hurting so bad, but 373 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: you had to keep going. The crushing level of effort 374 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 1: that had gone into their Olympic effort, coupled with the 375 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: shocking failure to even meddle well, the US women's gymnastics 376 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: team never recovered in Sydney. Meanwhile, China's gymnastics team, of 377 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: which Dong Fang Shiao was notable, showcased incredible skill and precision. 378 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: Like Chinese teams in the past, these girls were all 379 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: slight and looked younger than the age the team said 380 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,400 Speaker 1: they were. They were all required to be sixteen at 381 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 1: some point during two thousand, as were all the gymnasts 382 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: in Sydney, but they weren't because Dong fang Shao was 383 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: only fourteen. The Chinese Gymnastics Federation had falsely registered her 384 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,959 Speaker 1: in fig records as having been born in nineteen eight, 385 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: And even though the Chinese government was about to uphend 386 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: Dong fang Shao's entire life blaming their act on her 387 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,959 Speaker 1: young shoulders on top of the years of NonStop training 388 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: and abuse, nobody really knew, not definitively about the full 389 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:18,920 Speaker 1: fallout of Sydney's gymnastics scandal for the gymnasts, the Chinese 390 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: and US governments, the Olympics legacy, and the sport as 391 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: a whole, until ten years later. So the US women's 392 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 1: gymnastics team went home from the Sydney Olympic Games without 393 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: a single medal, but with plenty of lingering questions about 394 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: whether it was a fair competition. What a terrible thing 395 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: for them to be wondering after an Olympics experience that 396 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: the Greeks had conceived all the way back in seven 397 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: to seventy six BCE in the spirit of ethical, respectful, 398 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: and above all fair competition. The women's gymnastics showdown between 399 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 1: the United States of America and China and the results 400 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: of the Sydney Olympics would reverberate for years, but it 401 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: wasn't until two thousand and eight that serious questions arose 402 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,680 Speaker 1: that jeopardized the Chinese team's bronze medal, and it wasn't 403 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: until twenty ten that it was proven and accepted by 404 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: the Chinese government that their team had in fact cheated. 405 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 1: Would the US gymnasts get their bronze medals so many 406 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: years later, and given how both sides broke Olympic principles 407 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: leading up to the Sydney Games, undermining athlete welfare and 408 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: exploiting children, were medals really even the point anymore? Find 409 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: out how this gymnastics scandal shakes out in our next 410 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: episode of Playing Dirty Sports Scandals. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals 411 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: is a production of Dan Patrick Productions, Never Ever Productions 412 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick, Paul Anderson, 413 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 1: Nick Panela, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted by Jay Harris, 414 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francie Haiks, Maya Glickman, 415 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:13,160 Speaker 1: and Jennifer Clay.