<P> In addition, the age requirement technically only applies to meets which are sanctioned and regulated directly by the FIG: the Olympics, the World Championships and the World Cup circuit . Many other meets, such as the European Championships, have separate divisions for juniors . Additionally, some competitions, such as the Pan Am Games, the Pacific Rim Championships and the All - Africa Games, have different rules which permit seniors and juniors to compete together . There are also numerous international competitions specifically limited to junior gymnasts, such as the Japan Junior International, Moscow World Stars, the Junior Pan American Championships, and the Youth Olympic Games . </P> <P> According to official statements from the FIG, "the accepted proof of a gymnast's eligibility for competition is a valid passport issued by the country of residence ." This verification process has been criticized by some in the gymnastics community, with the argument that countries can manufacture and submit falsified documents for underage athletes . In several cases, gymnasts involved in age falsification have verified that they did in fact compete under forged passports provided to them by their federations . </P> <P> Since 2009, gymnasts competing in FIG - sanctioned events at both the senior and junior level have been required to have licenses issued by the Federation . These licenses reportedly verify the competitors' ages based on their passports . However, the licensing does not include any independent verification of submitted passport information . </P> <P> The age limit is arguably one of the most contentious rules in gymnastics, and is frequently debated by coaches, gymnasts and members of the media . While some members of the sport, such as former USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi, have expressed support for the age limit of 16, others, such as coach Béla Károlyi, have heavily criticized it . </P>

What is the age cutoff for the olympics