Gymnasts age controversy

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BEIJING -- Even as documented reports appeared in the Times -- the one in New York and the one in L.A. -- a week before the Games about underage Chinese gymnasts, the International Olympic Committee, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and USA Gymnastics wrung their hands and hoped the controversy would fade away.

It didn’t.

When the Times -- the one in London -- finally did its investigation of the same documents and published a report Thursday, the IOC could no longer ignore the issue. IOC officials are holding a news conference now to announce an investigation, saying ‘more information has come to light.’’

This will be interesting.

Now that the competition is behind us, USA Gymnastics is finally speaking up.

‘USA Gymnastics has always believed this issue needed to be addressed by the FIG and IOC,’’ Steve Penny, the organization’s president, said in a statement. ‘An investigation would help bring closure to the issue and remove any cloud of speculation from this competition.’’

-- Randy Harvey