B.C. Coroner releases report into luger’s death
Posted October 4, 2010 11:36 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The B.C. Coroner is calling for an independent safety check of the Whistler sliding track following the death of a Georgian luger on the first day of the Winter Olympics.
The coroner says high speed, technical challenges and exacting physical forces came together on the track for 21-year old Nodar Kumaritashvili.
He says the young luger was relatively inexperienced on the track, and has ruled the death accidental.
The coroner says the International Luge Federation and Olympic staff took all precautions and best known practices were put in place when the track was designed, but an independent safety check would likely reflect on the safety of top athletes and help restore confidence in the track.
The coroner also says the Federation should consider increasing the number of training runs to try to give more comfort to less experienced athletes.
