It only took two silver Olympic metals and becoming the reigning table tennis world champion for China to allow Wang Hao to date.

The country exerts rigorous controls over its athletes’ lives, often banning them from dating or marrying until a certain age. But this month, China allowed the 25-year-old to date his former national teammate, 23-year-old Peng Luyang.

“Both of them are old enough and it’s normal,” the government-owned China Daily quoted Peng’s coach Qiao Yunping as saying.

Yikes! What would happen if the U.S. government controlled the dating lives of our athletes?! What would the tabloids have to write about? Half our celebrity gossip would be gone! Luckily, we’d still have reality TV and the Gosselins to keep us fascinated. New hairstyle, you say? I’m riveted!