Originally Posted by B-Line

Actually, you are part right and part wrong. The age limit is there to try to prevent under-aged athletes from trying to execute certain maneuvers and exercises that could greatly injure someone, before their bones and muscles are fully developed.

As funny as it sounds, they do the same thing with dog agility. Dogs who are less than 1.5 years old are not allowed to do certain jumping exercises as they don't want to stunt healthy development of the dog. Of course, some people do it anyway, but the idea is to try to prevent it. And while I can't prevent my dog from jumping up and down on the bed, agility officials don't want to encourage people from pushing their dogs to hard before they develop, for fear of long term damage during development years. IT'S THE SAME THEORY FOR GYMNASTICS...

Secondly, it is proven that younger athletes in certain events DO have advantages. Since they are not fully developed, their hips have not grown in, they haven't reached full height, they are then able to do certain maneuvers like, more flips in the air and certain types of twists, that a fully developed person of age, could not do.

So the idea that a young person can do more impressive and higher scoring routines, while at the same time, damaging their developing bodies beyond what would be considered okay, is the reason, they try to prevent kids from competing at an olympic level, too early. It's a recipe for disaster.

They also do the same thing for figure skating as lighter, smaller, less developed skaters can perform greater levels of routines. but it is that exact competitive advantage that is also hurting them.

The rule is actually a smart one, and encourages equal competition while trying to prevent unnecessary, long term, ill effects on the athletes..