Prior to his crash, Kumaritashvili was not considered a medal prospectA luge competitor has died after leaving the track at high speed during Winter Olympic training in Canada.
Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili was given emergency resuscitation treatment at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
His sled left the Olympic track and smashed into a steel pole. An Olympic official confirmed he had been killed.
Training was immediately suspended after the accident, which happened just hours before the opening ceremony of the 21st Winter Games in Vancouver.
Kumaritashvili's sled struck the inside of the track's final turn, 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.
"Georgian slider Nodar Kumaritashvili has had a serious crash in the final run of official training for the men's singles on Friday," said an official statement.
"He fell out of the track when he crashed. He was treated on site by medical staff who administered CPR, and was then taken away in an ambulance."
German International Olympic Committee official Thomas Bach later confirmed he had died as a result of his injuries.
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.
In the build-up to the Games several teams had raised concerns about the safety of athletes, who regularly exceed 90mph as they compete.
Before Kumaritashvili's crash, 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 to crash was Romania's Violeta Stramaturaru, who was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and taken to hospital.
British skeleton's performance director, Andi Schmid, said a lack of track time for athletes in the run-up to the Games had increased the risk of accidents.
"I would say especially for speed sports you need to have more access to tracks and whoever organises the Olympics needs to offer that," said Schmid during preparations for the Games.
"Not only so that everyone has a fair chance but also because of the danger. We need to be careful so that these sports stay great action sports and don't become dangerous killer sports.
"I'm not saying that will happen but some athletes from other nations are less experienced."
Kumaritashvili competed in five World Cup races this season, finishing 44th in the world standings.
Members of the International Luge Federation were asked to attend a briefing following the crash, and team captains from each nation attended an emergency meeting.
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Very Sad!
1 comment:
Nodar Kumaritashvili’s death is a tragedy! Luge looks like such a neat sport, but also very dangerous at the same time. His death will cast a pall over these Olympic Games. RIP
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