The IOC has asked the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate claims that Chinese double gold medallist He Kexin is younger than the eligible age to compete in the Games.

He, registered at the Beijing Olympics as 16, won team gold and a gold on the asymmetric bars. She was registered as having been born on Jan. 1, 1992. Gymnasts must turn 16 in the year of the Games to be allowed to compete.

"Given that there have been some discrepancies regarding her age that have come to light, we have asked the FIG to look into this matter," an IOC official told Reuters.

"It is because of these discrepancies that we have asked for this investigation to start."

He's age has been under scrutiny since the start of the Games and various media have reported she had competed in past events under a different birth date.

A US computer expert had said in emails to the media this week he had uncovered Chinese state documents that proved He was born in 1994 and not 1992. The caption on a photograph published by Chinese state news agency Xinhua last year referred to "13-year-old He Kexin".

He, who pipped American Nastia Liukin under the tiebreak rule to snatch the Olympic asymmetric bars title, has repeatedly faced questions over her age at news conferences.

Each time she has replied: "My real age is 16. I don't care what other people say."