Report: Luger dies in training-run crash

[Ayatolla of Slamola]

Kumaritashvili from ex-Soviet republic of Georgia hits steel pole
Image: Luger receives emergency treatment
Michael Sohn / AP
Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia is seen being given chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation after crashing during a training run for the men's singles luge Friday.
View related photos

NBCSports.com news services
updated 2 minutes ago

WHISTLER, British Columbia - A men's Olympic luger from the former Soviet republic of Georgia reportedly died after crashing during a training run Friday.

The Toronto Sun reported that Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed after losing control of his sled, going over the track wall and hitting a steel pole near the finish line at the Whistler Sliding Center.

Emergency crews performed CPR on the 21-year-old athlete, a native of Borjomi, Georgia, but were unable to save his life.

"I've never seen anything like that," said Shiva Keshavan, a four-time Olympian from India said before knowing Kumaritashvili's fate. "I'm afraid it's bad."

Training was suspended indefinitely. Members of the International Luge Federation were called for a briefing and team captains from each nation were asked to attend a meeting.

Kumaritashvili competed in five World Cup races this season, finishing 44th in the world standings.

Earlier in the day, gold-medal favorite Armin Zoeggeler of Italy crashed, losing control of his sled also around Curve 11. Zoeggeler came off his sled, held it with his left arm to keep it from smashing atop his body, and slid on his back down several curves before coming to a stop and walking away.

Training days in Whistler have been crash-filled, with a Romanian woman briefly knocked unconscious and at least four Americans -- Chris Mazdzer on Wednesday, Megan Sweeney on Thursday and both Tony Benshoof and Bengt Walden on Friday in the same training session where Zoeggeler wrecked -- having serious trouble just getting down the track.

“I think they are pushing it a little too much,” Australia’s Hannah Campbell-Pegg said Thursday night after she nearly lost control in training. “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.”

NBC Sports (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35369187/ns/sports-olympic_sports/)

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/OLYAL11002121954.jpg

[Ayatolla of Slamola]

Very sad news!

There are a few other pics and videos floating around, that the Olympic committee is trying to take down, that I feel are to graphic to induce in the thread

[theSTEREO.]

My god.

That's scary.

[Sixthdis108]

Wow, that is extremely scary and sad. I hope they figure out what is going wrong and why there are so many accidents.

[Ayatolla of Slamola]

I just watched the video. He loss the control of the sled, wrecked, went airborne out of the track and hit a unpadded steel pole. Reports say he was doing about 90MPH.

RIP

[Maximus]

I hope they figure out what is going wrong and why there are so many accidents.

I know what's wrong....there's people going 85mph and making hairpin turns down a chute of ice on a 21" long sled.


http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/luge-27.gif

[Brandname]

Oh my... that's terrible. I can't believe that there are steel beams alongside the track like that. Wow. So sad. :(

[I.K.W.T]

Yes, i have a terrible feeling that we are not done seeing this for this olympics, the entire thing has been a disaster, no snow, poor construction of the skiing slopes, and now fucking steel poles around a track, i have a terrible feeling theres more to come. :(

[Sixthdis108]

I know what's wrong....there's people going 85mph and making hairpin turns down a chute of ice on a 21" long sled.


http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/luge-27.gif


I see what you mean, however, they do this a lot. I would presume something is wrong with the track.

[I.K.W.T]

<embed src='http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/player-dest.swf' FlashVars='linkUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6202459n&releaseURL=http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/player-dest.swf&videoId=50083575,50083557,50083507,50083457,500834 55,50083407,50083268&partner=news&vert=News&si=254&autoPlayVid=false&name=cbsPlayer&allowScriptAccess=always&wmode=transparent&embedded=y&scale=noscale&rv=n&salign=tl' allowFullScreen='true' width='425' height='324' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'></embed><br/><a href='http://www.cbsnews.com'>Watch CBS News Videos Online</a>

He hits the side of the slope.

[Ignatius]

^^ Most videos are going to be taken down immediately if possible. This is no different.

[I.K.W.T]

^^ Most videos are going to be taken down immediately if possible. This is no different.

Damnit!!!!!! i saw it and it was crazy, he comes too fast around a turn, hits the side of the wall and flies over the top of the wall and hits the pole going over 90 mph, it happens so fast you barely see him, it's just a flash.

[Chardon]

http://www.silive.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/02/video_olympic_luger_dies_durin.html
video.

Very sad.

[doughboy90650]

damn that's f'd up .... at first when I saw Luger dies ... I thought another wrestler taking steroids or something (Lex) ..... then to see that ... it's just awful

[Chardon]

When i saw this on the news, i couldnt picture what luging was. The only thing i could picture was this .
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/2006/02/14/gallery.day4/curling.jpg

I was very confused until i saw the news.

[Ben]

Anyone else think the Lex "the total package" Luger died when they viewed the thread title?

[Splitz]

This sucks, they showed the video on CNN. Not sure how it makes any sense to have exposed steel beems at a turn. Absolutely pathetic job of keeping the athletes safe.

[Brandname]

Anyone else think the Lex "the total package" Luger died when they viewed the thread title?

Um, no.

I was certain it was Lex "The Narcissist" Luger. :chuckles:

[DC]

Anyone else think the Lex "the total package" Luger died when they viewed the thread title?

Not only that, but an image of him flexing popped into my head upon reading this.

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~js285799/luger.jpg

[Ayatolla of Slamola]

When i saw this on the news, i couldnt picture what luging was. The only thing i could picture was this .
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/2006/02/14/gallery.day4/curling.jpg

I was very confused until i saw the news.

That would be curling.

[Ayatolla of Slamola]

This sucks, they showed the video on CNN. Not sure how it makes any sense to have exposed steel beems at a turn. Absolutely pathetic job of keeping the athletes safe.

While I agree with you, I heard a German coach that said he has been in the sport for over 50 years and this is the first time he has ever seen anything like it. I know the sport is dangerous and they have very horrific crashes, but how did he get that much air and leave the track?

[Splitz]

While I agree with you, I heard a German coach that said he has been in the sport for over 50 years and this is the first time he has ever seen anything like it. I know the sport is dangerous and they have very horrific crashes, but how did he get that much air and leave the track?

Because they make the turns thin as hell and are hell bent on the athletes going 90-100 mph rather than 80. The athletes are not happy about the conditions.

[cavaliers4ever]

That's really sad and disturbing. The slow-mo of it...wow, just terrible that that had to happen. RIP.