<P> The term senior, in gymnastics, refers to any world - class gymnast who is age - eligible under F.I.G. rules . The term junior is used to describe any gymnast who competes at a world - class level, but does not meet the F.I.G.'s age minimum . Juniors are judged under the same Code of Points as the seniors, and often exhibit the same level of difficulty in their routines . </P> <P> The one exception to the F.I.G.'s age restrictions until recently applied to the year before the Olympics, when gymnasts who were one year below the required age, but would be the required age in the Olympic year, were allowed to compete as seniors at the World Championships and other FIG meets . For instance, gymnasts born in 1977 were allowed to compete at senior events in 1991, when they were 14 or turning 14 within the calendar year . Within the last Olympic cycle, gymnasts born in 1992 were permitted to compete as seniors in 2007 . This was permitted to allow nations to qualify to the Olympics with their best teams, and to give emerging gymnasts some experience in major competition before the Olympics . However, the FIG eliminated this exception as of the 2012 Olympic cycle . </P> <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>

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