Olympics Luge Crash: Should Committee Make Safer Tracks?

by Duff Posted February 12, 2010 21:49:30

151 votes
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	Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.	77 votes	51%
	No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.	44 votes	29%
	I think the Committee should...	30 votes	20%

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luge athlete, has died in a luge crash after he slammed into a pole at speeds exceeding 80 mph. The accident occurred during a training run when Kumaritashvil bashed against both sides of the track and then was thrown into a steel pole.

As seen in the video, medics rushed to the scene and attempted to revive him. Kumaritashvil was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. This is the second luge crash to happen on the Vancouver course, which many have claimed to be the most dangerous course in existence. Another athlete was rendered unconscious on the course and had to rushed to the hospital. These accidents raise a very interesting question about difficulty in the Olympic Games.

Is the Olympic Committee putting excitement over safety? Should they be making challenging but safer courses?

+22

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Estick February 13, 2010 01:07:38

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

+10
Yes, many other athletes were complaining about this track. They were saying it is too fast and one turn was called the 50 - 50 corner because you had a 50% chance of making it out of that corner. This track is 15 - 20 mph faster than other tracks.

Yes these sports are dangerous and accidents happen. If you have not seen the video you may feel differently after seeing it. He didn't crash and hit his head on the ice or something like that, no... he flew into a steel beam going 90 mph, it was horrific.

This is what Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg said before the crash:

"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."

Craig Lehto, general manager of the Whistler Sliding Centre and director of sliding sports for Vanoc said:

“It’s just amplified, because of the speeds we’re going. The venue is so fast. You fall behind a little bit and you can’t catch up. It’s just too quick. And you can’t process the information quickly enough... The pilots always joke you don’t really see anything from Corner 13 down because it’s just coming at you so fast.”

Why did they have those bare steel beams right beside the track? I know some people will say that ...

Yes, many other athletes were complaining about this track. They were saying it is too fast and one turn was called the 50 - 50 corner because you had a 50% chance of making it out of that corner. This track is 15 - 20 mph faster than other tracks.

Yes these sports are dangerous and accidents happen. If you have not seen the video you may feel differently after seeing it. He didn't crash and hit his head on the ice or something like that, no... he flew into a steel beam going 90 mph, it was horrific.

This is what Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg said before the crash:

"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."

Craig Lehto, general manager of the Whistler Sliding Centre and director of sliding sports for Vanoc said:

“It’s just amplified, because of the speeds we’re going. The venue is so fast. You fall behind a little bit and you can’t catch up. It’s just too quick. And you can’t process the information quickly enough... The pilots always joke you don’t really see anything from Corner 13 down because it’s just coming at you so fast.”

Why did they have those bare steel beams right beside the track? I know some people will say that they could not have foreseen something like this happening but I'm not convinced.

Here is an article that was released before this accident that talks about some of the problems athletes have been having with this track:
http://www.canada.com/story_p...
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David April 03, 2012 03:54:48

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

Nodar's death was one death too many. The tracks should never have been that dangerous to start with. Yes, there is always a risk but we can minimize the risk.

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jacktown kid March 31, 2010 21:06:27

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

Most Unfortunate incident

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Joanne February 16, 2010 21:41:31

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

Other athletes have complained about this track and nothing was done. It's a shame that a someone has to die before something is done. Make the courses safer it wouldn't take away from the excitement of the sport. Faster is not always better.

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dink February 16, 2010 21:17:58

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

It is a very sad event. Everyone knows it is a dangerous sport. If it were easy everyone would be in the Olymipics.

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Pamela February 16, 2010 18:22:37

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

Everything should be done with there safety in mind , They knew haw dangerous it was and they did not consinder his life over games ! Life is not a game ! It's worth is more than Gold ! My sympothies to his family and friends . I'm sorry for your loss . I hope they will consider what happens in the future and what impact it will have forever !
God Bless.

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virtuallad09 February 16, 2010 15:36:29

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

Though Question, As much as I feel sorry for him his friends and family and love dones ya know it's like ya have to keep discipline and think ahead. take driving for example when u are coming up to a roundabout are trafficlights are turns, You have to slow down to give urself time to act instead of leaving things to the last minute. It's a tough Question but i am sure this not the first time some one has died in this kinda sport.

Just a unfortunate accident, Just it was his time to go.

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lildiff February 16, 2010 02:28:08

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

They need a loop and a few jumps over cliffs

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Márcio Pinheiro February 16, 2010 00:21:52 (edited)

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

He does, he wrongs, he dies. As simple as it.

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Smokey February 15, 2010 18:33:17

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

I really feel sorry for him and his family. It was painful to watch. But remember folks, there are more pepole who die in auto racing than on the Luge.

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whereisjahrule February 15, 2010 17:13:23

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

+3
If you can't practice for a situation, it needs to be safeguarded. The key to the sport is knowing how to micro-maneuver so that you can win by tenths of seconds. If you can't handle the speed, or you misjudge your handling, the result should be that your sled follows an inefficient path that prevents you from winning. It shouldn't set you up to be launched off the track.

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Cathy February 15, 2010 16:32:28

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

I believe that they did slow the speed down and put up a safer guard rail after this accident which was a very good thing to do. This was a terrible tragedy and my heart and prayers go out to his teammates, his family and to the community.

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King Cnut February 15, 2010 15:58:02

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

HELL NO! They should make it more dangerous, with landmines, jumps, and spiked pits. Maybe then it would be entertaining enough to watch.

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Emily February 15, 2010 14:48:17

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

If it's fast enough to kill someone then it's too fast. I don't honestly care if they are going 88 or 98 miles an hour. The thrill in watching the Olympics is the competition period. I'm really glad they stopped showing the video in slo-mo over and over and over again. It was too gruesome and upsetting. I think the fact that they padded the previously exposed steel girders and erected a wooden barrier wall (after the fact) says it all. Those safety measures should have been taken before any runs started not after someone died.

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oh my science February 15, 2010 08:10:41

I think the Committee should...

leave it, obviously they would change it if every person going into the luge event had something to say about it but obviously that isn't happening, so until that happens then they hit the ice knowing the full consequences of what may happen

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Naui February 15, 2010 06:19:18 (edited)
NativeNH1 February 15, 2010 05:32:43

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

All courses should meet certain safety standards. This is a "no-brainer."

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Go Green February 15, 2010 05:16:52

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

of course!

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MindReader February 15, 2010 04:09:59

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

+1
He needs to be prepared to die for his country.

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USAF Vet February 15, 2010 04:06:22

I think the Committee should...

Just hire OSHA to design all the Olympic events.

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♥Forever Confused♥ February 15, 2010 03:16:14

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

you compete to die.

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bunnyC February 15, 2010 02:33:04

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

It's just really unfortunate that it took someone's life to make them realise that it was indeed a dangerous track even when other athletes have complained about it's speed

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san February 15, 2010 02:16:23

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

They laready after his death made the walls on the ramp taller, but there had to be a crack or something because no body just flys in the air. I am so sorry that he died and his family had to be reminded by NBC showing it along with his lifeless body.

R.I.P., my friend.

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e.V.(♥Queen of Doom♥) February 15, 2010 00:10:42

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

There were a ton of crashes on this track befrore that poor athelete died. A Romanian lost control of her sled and had to be airlifed out to hospital. A lot of bobsledders are quite worried about ir. The toughest curves all come at the bottom when you are at maximum velocity :(

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Michelle February 14, 2010 23:18:10

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

Sounds like enough complaints were made at the speed of the track but like the American People when it comes to their government listening.....they only listen when it effects them PERSONALLY!

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BlytheSpirit~bn0 February 14, 2010 22:56:02 (edited)

I think the Committee should...

It's hard to say. There needs to be some oversight, for sure. But, check out ANY of the Olympic Winter sports. None of them are safe. Whirling around on ice, on nothing but thin little blades, twirling a small framed woman over your head while jumping and turning..........come on. None of those sports are safe. If you're looking for "safety" you shouldn't be watching the Olympics. http://myspaceantics.com/imag...

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Isma'ila (God has heard)! February 14, 2010 22:12:45

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

They should construct a safer track! Anyone who says other wise is a heartless jerk!

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Denny February 14, 2010 21:35:31

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

+1
What in the world are you going to do??? Laying on your back on a couple of blades, down a hill at 80 mph doesn't conger up images of being safe even if you could slow it down to say 20 mph. Why it's a sport to begin with is nuts.

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Pug For Huck February 14, 2010 20:55:05

I think the Committee should...

Cover metal poles and walls. Going 90mph on a sled with two razor sharp blades can't be made safe. As long as they are fully aware of the danger and they are thorough in covering all impact points, that's all they can do.

My condolences to the family.

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Michelle to Pug For... February 14, 2010 23:19:25

professional car racing isn't safe either but folks still do it and others pay to watch it....

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Pug For... to Michelle February 16, 2010 01:19:12

True. However, they're in specially designed impact cages to protect them. Lugers don't have anything but their spandex suits and a helmet.

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Michelle to Pug For... February 16, 2010 01:28:13

True. However, last time I checked--- those lugers didn't have a gas tank sitting in their back seat or a HUGE engine to crush their chests! Just a point of observation.....

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Magic Twanger February 14, 2010 20:46:57

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

+2
It is a dangerous sport and unfortunately people are injured and some killed. The tracks should be as safe as possible, but that said, baring stupidity of the designers and builders, it is an intrinsically dangerous sport. Some folks are going to die in doing the sports they love.

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Grey February 14, 2010 19:51:38

I think the Committee should...

+1
eliminate it. How can you call it a "sport" when you lie on your back and let a sled take you down a course of turns at upwards of 80 MPH? It's stupid. Like skiing blindfolded.

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mike February 14, 2010 19:09:52

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

i would like to see catch nets around the bad turns,this should prevent people from getting killed like this,and it wouldnt take much,have a great day.

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4Common... to mike February 14, 2010 19:39:21

Good idea. Call the I.O.C. and suggest it.

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MonkeyOnMyBackIsTheLastestT... February 14, 2010 18:35:15

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

+1
so so sad =..((

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4Common... to MonkeyO... February 14, 2010 19:43:59

+1
You have to realize one thing. The athletes that compete in this event are not use to this kind of track. They practice on something that is totally different that a track that takes them up to speeds of 90 plus miles per hour. That is why you have athletes that shouldn't even be on it.

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Zoel February 14, 2010 18:04:57

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

Olympics were created to be extremely challenging, it has been made dangerous in order to attract its vast audiences. They need to put the focus back on the athletes where it belongs and not on the money. Lets face it, no athletes no olympics.

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DaChief February 14, 2010 17:35:40 (edited)

No, it is meant to be challening and dangerous.

+1
Those who enter this competition know full well the dangers and "what ifs?" they are entering. There is no way any track can be 100% full proof. This tragedy could not have been stopped and it is one of those tragic happenstances that is part of the sport. Just like NASCAR and Indy racing, speed, gravity, and force has the reign no matter what construction improvements are made. If that were the case, then anyone choosing this adrenalin rush sport would have to be dressed like Stay Puff marshmellow men.

I flew jet fighters for 20 years and knew the inherent dangers each time I entered the cockpit of my plane. Going twice the speed of sound could have shredded my plane apart on one bad turn of the stick at any time or by fatigue of the plane passed over by rigorous inspection. Still I knew we entered in dangerous grounds being catapaulted off a flight deck over frigid waters and heading for the skies and then trapping third wire on rainly overcast nights. My point is anyone looking for the thrill that could kill them despite any safety gear to protect them, will still do it knowing their chances of being killed or injured are great.

My thoughts and prayers go to the Georgian luge team and the family and friends of the brave soul killed in this freak accident.

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no1badboy56 February 14, 2010 17:21:43

Yes, the Olympic Committee should construct safer courses.

While the luge is inheritently dangerous, as is the bobsled, why make a track that compounds the danger. The OC needs to standardize these tracks in corporating safety and speed.

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