Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Milo Yiannopoulos Dropped from CPAC After Pedophilia Comments

Alt-right journalist Milo Yiannopoulos was supposed to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference this week, but now CPAC has rescinded the invite after a video surfaced of him speaking favorably about relationships between “younger boys and older men.” CPAC originally had to defend its decision to invite Yiannopoulos to speak, citing freedom of expression, but when the latest controversy hit, the internet reacted fiercely. Yiannopoulos also lost his book deal with publishing company Simon & Schuster, which was supposed to publish his book “Dangerous.”

#BREAKING: Milo Yiannopoulos disinvited from CPAC after pedophilia remarks emerge https://t.co/i2bFLTcTh3 pic.twitter.com/Jwqw4Q0pOK

— The Hill (@thehill) February 20, 2017

Yiannopoulos apologized in a Facebook statement yesterday afternoon, saying that his comments were misinterpreted and that he is “horrified by pedophilia.” “I am a gay man, and a child abuse victim,” he wrote. “My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous.” However, many people seem to have had enough of Milo altogether.

#MiloYiannopoulos was never a conservative. He is just a gay guy who enjoys the publicity that comes from being controversial.

— LZ Granderson (@Locs_n_Laughs) February 21, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: February 21, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

In the wake of doping scandals rocking the Russian Olympic and Paralympic Team in the lead-up to the Rio Games, Russian athletes have been painted as the villains of the summer for breaking basic tenets of sportsmanship. However, there has been virtually no outcry over another common violation in Olympic competitions this year: lying about athlete’s ages.

At the Beijing Games in 2008, the Chinese women’s gymnastics teams made waves after accusations that they were younger than 16 years old, the threshold for competing in gymnastics events. Online records revealed that He Kexin was too young to compete but Chinese officials stood by the birthdate on her passport, which made her eligible (although it is relatively easy to obtain a doctored passport). There was “strong circumstantial evidence” that members of the Chinese team were underage but the International Gymnastics Federation cleared the team of any wrongdoing. In 2010, bronze medalist Dong Fangxiao lost her medal from the 2000 Sydney Games after it was revealed that she had been only 14 at the time.  Yang Yun, who competed with Dong Fangxiao, admitted in a television interview that they were only 14 during the Games. Beyond the Chinese team, North Korean gymnasts allegedly have misrepresented their ages in the past. This year’s Chinese gymnastics squad has stayed away from age related scandals as team manager Ye Zhennan reported all of his athletes are of age. However, with their track record of fabricating documents and misrepresenting ages, some observers in the gymnastics world still have their doubts.

It is difficult to gauge an athlete’s age just by looking at them, and we should by all means give the Chinese gymnastics team the benefit of the doubt, but it is fascinating to see how quick the public is to crucify Russian athletes for violating Olympic rules in 2016 whereas the Chinese athletes accused of being underage in the past received relatively little attention this year.

Letting younger athletes compete is not always a guaranteed positive–athletes with more physical training and experience on the Olympic stage can perform better under the immense pressure placed on them during the Games. However, in certain sports, it is the youngest competitors who are in the best shape–consider the number of teenagers from multiple countries who have medaled in swimming in Rio and, of course, the Final Five in gymnastics, who are all incredibly young (at least compared to Olympians in other sports). Younger athletes usually have fewer injuries and have greater stamina. What if Nastia Liukin had been able to compete in Athens? Age restrictions kept her out of those Games, even though she was already becoming dominant in the gymnastics world.

Athletes lying about their ages is not limited to the Chinese national team nor to the sport of gymnastics, but in a sport that rewards youth and, in terms of aerodynamics, small bodies, younger athletes have a clear advantage. Famous gymnastics coach Belya Karoli has argued that the age limit should be done away with, as it robs athletes in peak shape of their chance to compete and encourages cheating. Before the age limit was enacted in 1997, multiple American gymnasts set impressive records while only 14 years of age, which is often considered the height of a gymnastic career. While there are gymnasts who compete into their twenties and beyond, most will retire after competing at only one or two Olympic Games. Athletes who lie about their age can get to three or even four Olympics before they lose sight of making the podium.

The age limit exists to protect young athletes from abuse and the physical and mental pressures of competing with the world’s eyes upon them at such a young age. However, if these athletes are forced to fabricate documents and lie for months or years on end to coaches, officials and their peers, the stress of competition can only be compounded. Is it better to miss an Olympics and have the moral high ground or to compete and win, knowing that you will live in constant fear of being stripped of your medal? At the moment, the age limit is not protecting young athletes, it is merely setting them up for an entirely different rash of problems.

Jillian Sequeira

Jillian Sequeira was a member of the College of William and Mary Class of 2016, with a double major in Government and Italian. When she’s not blogging, she’s photographing graffiti around the world and worshiping at the altar of Elon Musk and all things Tesla. Contact Jillian at Staff@LawStreetMedia.com

The post The Forgotten Controversy? Age and the Olympics appeared first on Law Street.

A recently-released investigation by IndyStar claims that many allegations of sexual abuse of children were mishandled by USA Gymnastics–the governing body for the sport in the United States. As the ramp up to the Rio Games continues, this sheds a negative light on one of the Olympics’ most beloved sports, given that USA Gymnastics is responsible for the development of the official U.S. team.

The controversy appears to stem from the concern that officials at USA Gymnastics didn’t investigate claims  of abuse unless they came directly from a parent or from a child who was being abused, allegedly in an attempt to protect the reputations of the coaches the complaints were levied against. According to the investigation, any other claims were dismissed as rumors or “hearsay.” In addition to problematic policies, USA Gymnastics may have acted illegally when it didn’t report certain complaints to the authorities.

According to IndyStar:

USA Gymnastics would not disclose the total number of sexual misconduct allegations it receives each year. But records show the organization compiled complaint dossiers on more than 50 coaches and filed them in a drawer in its executive office in Indianapolis. The contents of those files remain secret, hidden under seal in the case filed by Ganser’s daughter. IndyStar, as part of the USA TODAY Network, filed a motion seeking to make the files public. The judge in that case has not yet ruled.

USA Gymnastics obviously disagrees with the classifications of its conduct, and put out the following statement after IndyStar’s claims surfaced:

Addressing issues of sexual misconduct has been important to USA Gymnastics for many years, and the organization is committed to promoting a safe environment for its athletes. We find it appalling that anyone would exploit a young athlete or child in this manner, and recognize the effect this behavior can have on a person’s life. USA Gymnastics has been proactive in helping to educate the gymnastics community over the years, and will continue to take every punitive action available within our jurisdiction, and cooperate fully with law enforcement.

The Rio Olympics are about to officially kick off (although some sports are already underway) and they’ve certainly been full of controversy. From the threat of Zika, to upsetting unsanitary conditions, to concerns about crime and safety, the powerhouse U.S. gymnastics team has been one of the bright spots for Americans watching the games. But with concerns about the coverup of child sexual abuse, questioning USA Gymnastic’s record on the issue may dominate the news cycle this week.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sexual Abuse Coverup Claims Rock the Gymnastics World Before Rio appeared first on Law Street.