Revisiting Past Age Falsifications

[rlayt]

This isn’t relative to the other recent threads I found about the Romanians. Gina made it to Barcelona by getting a year added to her age.

“The Uncaught Thief”.

“The Uncaught Thief”: Unraveling Gina Gogean’s Age – Gymnastics History

 

[Puffin]

Silivas wasn't age eligible for the gold she won at 1985 worlds because she was only 13 - the Romanians changed her birth year from 1972 to 1970 and issued her a new passport.

 

[KorbutFan]

Neither was Popa. She was born in 1971.

 

[youwannacranson]

Alexandra Marinescu was the last Romanian to have her passport falsified

Several Soviets did, including Bicherova who was only 12 (IIRC) when she won 1981 Worlds

 

[RedBirdie]

Wasn't there speculation that Viktoria Karpenko was falsified by a year?

 

[Matilda23]

I read that Monica Zahiu also had her age increased. I wonder if Claudia Presecan did too? IIRC she was pictured training with Marinescu and Zahiu at Steaua Bucharest in 1993 or 1994?

 

[Matilda23]

Wasn't there speculation that Viktoria Karpenko was falsified by a year?

I think this was due to how an article was written in International Gymnastics magazine. IIRC article was printed in 1995 and said something like, “the 12 year old, who fell 3 times at the 1994 National Championships” so people assumed she was 12 in 1995 when they were reading article. I think it meant she was 12 at the 1994 National Championships (which is fine with a 1981 birthdate).