Accident Kills Olympic Luge Racer on Opening Ceremony Day

Tragedy struck the Vancouver Olympics when a freak accident killed a Georgian men’s luger in British Columbia.
Accident Kills Olympic Luge Racer on Opening Ceremony Day
Vancouver Olympic Committee CEO John Furlong said the host organization was 'heartbroken' over Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili's death. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Matthew Little
2/12/2010
Updated:
2/12/2010
<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Luge_accident_96621009_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Luge_accident_96621009_medium.jpg" alt="Georgian luge hopeful Nodar Kumaritashvili crashes during the men's Luge practise at the Whistler Sliding Centre, in preparation for the Vancouver Winter Olympics on February 12, 2010. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Georgian luge hopeful Nodar Kumaritashvili crashes during the men's Luge practise at the Whistler Sliding Centre, in preparation for the Vancouver Winter Olympics on February 12, 2010. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-99765"/></a>
Georgian luge hopeful Nodar Kumaritashvili crashes during the men's Luge practise at the Whistler Sliding Centre, in preparation for the Vancouver Winter Olympics on February 12, 2010. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images)

VANCOUVER—Tragedy struck the Vancouver Olympics on Friday when a freak accident killed a men’s luger from the former Soviet republic of Georgia at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

An Olympic official with direct knowledge of the crash is reported to have told the Associated Press that 21-year-old Nodar Kumaritashvili has died. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, AP reported, because the athlete’s family had not yet been notified.

Kumaritashvili’s sled went over the track wall near the finish line and struck an unpadded steel pole.

IOC President Jacques Rogge spoke to a crowded room of journalists about the crash at the Vancouver Olympics main media centre on Friday afternoon.

The investigation is underway with officials from International Luge Federation, he said, adding that the Georgian luge team’s decision to withdraw has not been confirmed, and a decision has not yet been made.

“Our first thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the athlete,” said Rogge. “It is a bit difficult to remain composed, this is a very sad day.”

Other competitors have raised concerns about the track, said a BBC reporter. When asked if other teams had raised concerns about the track, Rogge said it was still being investigated.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Jack_Furlong_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Jack_Furlong_medium-299x450.jpg" alt="Vancouver Olympic Committee CEO John Furlong said the host organization was 'heartbroken' over Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili's death. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)" title="Vancouver Olympic Committee CEO John Furlong said the host organization was 'heartbroken' over Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili's death. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-99766"/></a>
Vancouver Olympic Committee CEO John Furlong said the host organization was 'heartbroken' over Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili's death. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Rogge would not comment on toning down Olympic luge tracks for future competitions, adding that this was a time to mourn. “I have no words to say what we feel,” he said. In an earlier statement, Rogge said the crash had cast a shadow over the Games.

Mark Adams, the International Olympic Committee’s Director of Communications, said an investigation is underway into the accident, adding that it would be too premature to comment on that now.

“Mr. Kumaritashvili died after crashing on the last corner of the course” said Adams at the press conference. “It is a bit difficult to remain composed, this is a very sad day.” 

“We are heartbroken beyond words,” said John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games.

He added that the committee’s “thoughts and prayers are with the athletes family, doing everything to support them.”

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

On Wednesday there were several accidents during women’s luge training runs. Romania’s Violeta Stramaturaru was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and taken to hospital.

Megan Sweeney of the U.S. crashed on her first run of the course yesterday. “I lost my head. The pressure was too big and I don’t wear a neck strap,” she said. She continued for her second run and said she put the crash out of her mind.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Rogge_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Rogge_medium.jpg" alt="Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC sent out his sympathies to the family of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in an emotional press conference at the Vancouver Olympics main media centre on Friday. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)" title="Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC sent out his sympathies to the family of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in an emotional press conference at the Vancouver Olympics main media centre on Friday. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-99767"/></a>
Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC sent out his sympathies to the family of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in an emotional press conference at the Vancouver Olympics main media centre on Friday. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Yesterday, Hanna Campbell of Australia, who crashed in her World Cup debut in 2004 in Calgary said that crashes were not unusual.

“This is our lives and this is what we do. Crashing is just part of it. This is actually a safer track than Torino and better organized too, I would say,” she ascertained.

Women’s U.S. Luge racer Erin Hamlin was at the sliding yesterday yesterday but said she did not see any of her competitors crashing at the lower parts of the course.

“We’re not seeing it at the top,” she said.

Yesterday Sandra Gasparini of Italy was among athletes having troubles on the track: “I had some problems on the corners. I was too late or too early, too high or too low, but I think it should get better. We just haven’t had much training on this track.”

At 19, Gasparini is one of the youngest competitors in the luge.