Luge goes ahead after death at 2010 Winter Olympics

February 13, 2010

The luge event at the Winter Olympics will go ahead on Saturday despite the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili.

The 21-year-old Georgian died when his sled flipped and he smashed into a steel pole during a final training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

The decision to go ahead was taken after probes by local coroners and the International Luge Federation (FIL).

Officials concluded the track was not unsafe but that the athlete “did not compensate properly” going into a bend.

As a precaution, the walls at the exit of the final curve, where Kumaritashvili was thrown from the track, will be raised.

Two extra training runs will be held at the circuit on Saturday morning, nine hours before the medal competition begins at 1700 (0100 GMT).

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Devastated Rogge reacts to luge tragedy

A statement on the Vancouver 2010 website said: “It appears after a routine run, the athlete came late out of curve 15 and did not compensate properly to make correct entrance into curve 16.

“This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 and although the athlete worked to correct the problem he eventually lost control of the sled resulting in the tragic accident.

“The technical officials of the FIL were able to retrace the path of the athlete and concluded there was no indication that the accident was caused by deficiencies in the track.

“Based on these findings the race director, in consultation with the FIL, made the decision to reopen the track following a raising of the walls at the exit of curve 16 and a change in the ice profile.

“This was done as a preventative measure, in order to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again.”

The crash happened hours before the opening ceremony, which was dedicated in his honour.

Georgia confirmed they will compete in the Games as a tribute to Kumaritashvili and marched as scheduled at the ceremony, wearing black arm bands and looking visibly upset.

The Georgian team wore black arm bands at the opening ceremony

A minute’s silence was also observed for Kumaritashvili.

The Olympic and Canadian Flags were lowered to half mast while the Georgian athletes placed a black patch on their national flag.

Kumaritashvili’s sled struck the inside of the track’s last turn during his sixth and final training run, sending his body into the air and over a concrete wall.

His sled remained on the track, and the visor from his helmet appeared to continue down the ice.

Medical staff at the track and doctors at a local hospital tried to resuscitate Kumaritashvili, part of a seven-strong Georgian team, but the country’s Olympic delegation later confirmed he had died as a result of his injuries.

“This tragedy casts a shadow over these Games,” said a visibly upset International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, while International Luge Federation chief Josef Fendt said the incident was “the gravest thing that can happen in sport”.

The track at Whistler, which is shared by the sports of luge, skeleton and bobsleigh, already has a reputation as one of the fastest - and most dangerous - in the world.

WINTER OLYMPIC DEATHS

1964 Innsbruck - British luger Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski and Aussie skier Ross Milne (training accidents)

1988 Calgary - Austrian team doctor Jorg Oberhammer (snow vehicle collision)

1992 Albertville - Swiss skier Nicolas Bochatay (snow vehicle collision)

2010 Vancouver - Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili (training crash)

In the build-up to the Games several teams had raised concerns about the safety of athletes, who regularly exceed 90mph as they compete, though Kumaritashvili crashed at a corner which had not been previously identified as a danger area.

Before the incident, British skeleton slider Amy Williams told BBC Sport: “I just hope Whistler is safe and that there aren’t too many crashes and serious injuries.”

Australia’s Hannah Campbell-Pegg added: “I think they are pushing it a little too much.

“To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we’re crash-test dummies? I mean, this is our lives.”

Their comments followed earlier accidents, including one involving gold medal favourite Armin Zoeggeler of Italy and several during women’s luge training runs on Wednesday.

Among those who crashed, Romania’s Violeta Stramaturaru was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and taken to hospital.

The track is where British competitor Adam Rosen crashed during training in October last year. He suffered a dislocated hip as well as nerve and tendon damage.

After intensive rehabilitation, Rosen made the team for his second Winter Games and was taking part in the same training session when Kumaritashvili crashed.

“We are a family in luge, so a sudden and tragic loss such as this impacts everyone deeply,” said Rosen in a statement released by the British Olympic Association.

“We know that the international federation, the IOC and (Vancouver organisers) have no higher priority than ensuring our safety, on and off the field of play.

“I know they are looking into this and, should it be deemed necessary for them to introduce additional measures, they will do so.”

Luge goes ahead after death at 2010 Winter Olympics

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