Olympic Updates

There are two more controversys surrounding the luge track at Whistler Sliding Centre that claimed the life of Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili [left, photo source] on Friday. Many critics have claimed that in an effort to break speed records, the architects have made a course that is too fast. Many athletes have issued complaints on such an issue.

The first big controversy is that the Luge Federation came out today to say that the track was fine and the accident was a result of 'human error.'

This news, as you can imagine, did not go over well with many. The fact is that whether the track is too fast or not is not really the issue. The fact is that the safety measures are not all there.

Safety should be the number 1 concern with these atheltes and why the was an open area at the bottom of a curve with a low wall, no netting or even padding on exposed steel beams is a mystery.

The track did, however, make some changes such as moving the men's starting point further down the course in an effort to reduce speeds and to add extra height to the wall that Nodar flipped over.

The second controversy is that networks and various online sites aired the footage of Nodar's crash. ABC and NBC both aired the footage which upset many views. NBC has since said that it will not show the footage again.

More reading....

• Nodar Kumaritashvili's Olympics luge death fault of track design
  
• Georgia's PM critical of luge officials
• Outrage over NBC's decision to air luge tragedy footage
  
• Luger's Death Spurs Move to Slow Track Speeds
• Olympians slide with heavy hearts
• IOC 'completely satisfied' with luge federation
• WINTER OLYMPICS 2010: Canadians under fire for training clampdown after 'crazy' track claims life of novice luger