Georgian luger’s death casts shadow over Winter Games

WHISTLER - Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died Friday following a crash in training hours before the opening of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, leaving the Olympic family in shock.

Kumaritashvili was pronounced dead after he had been airlifted to hospital following the crash during the final training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

The 21-year-old luger lost control of his sled near the finish and was sent flying over the track wall and into a steel pole. The accident happened at one of the fastest points of the track where luge speeds reach around 145 km/h.

International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge and Vancouver organising committee chief John Furlong appeared wearing black ties, and both fought back tears at a news conference in Vancouver.

“Sorry, it is very difficult to remain composed,” Rogge said.

“The IOC is in deep mourning. You have a young athlete who lost his life in pursuing his pursuit. He had a dream to compete in the Olympic Games. He trained hard and he had this fatal accident. I have no words to say what we feel.”

Furlong said he and his team were “devastated” by the accident.

“We are heartbroken beyond words to be sitting here… I am so sorry to be sitting here reporting this to you,” he said.

When asked about the transportation of Kumaritashvili’s body to Georgia, the nation’s Minister of Sport and Culture Nikolos Rurua said: “Our embassy and consulate here are dealing with local officials.”

An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the accident. Training was suspended and technical officials are now trying to establish the causes.

“There were some questions asked by other athletes before this incident. But it would be premature to jump to any conclusions,” said Rurua.

“But of course to prevent accidents like this in the future, it should be thoroughly investigated.”

No athlete has died at a Winter Games competition or training before.

However, Swiss speed skier Nicholas Bochatay was killed when he crashed into a snow-clearing machine in Albertville in 1992.

There were also two fatalities ahead of the 1964 Innsbruck Games. British luger Kazimierz Skrzypecki and Australian alpine skier Ross Milne died after accidents in pre-Olympic training.

The track at Whistler Sliding Centre is thought to be the most demanding in the world, and there have been a number of training crashes at the track.

Top gold medal favourite Armin Zoeggeler of Italy also crashed earlier in Friday’s final training.

German Bobsleigh and Sliding Federation sports director Thomas Schwab told German television channel ARD that he could imagine a shortening of the track.

“There may be short term improvements possible regarding security. You could possibly see a shortening of the racing track,” said Schwab.

There has also been criticism that Canadian officials have restricted foreign competitors to the minimum training time permitted by the international governing bodies for luge, skeleton and bobsleigh.

FIL president Josef Fendt said: “This is a terrible accident. This is the gravest thing that can happen in sport, and our thoughts and those of the ‘luge family’, are naturally with those touched by this event.”

Condolences also came pouring in from other athletes set to compete in Vancouver.

“I just found out about the Georgian luger who died today, my heart goes out to his family and friends. It is a sad day for all of us,” said American ski queen Lindsey Vonn via Twitter and Facebook.