Georgian (country) Olympic luge competitor dies in accident during training run today

[Rscmaine]

An Olympic Luge competitor has died after running off the track at 90mph and striking a pole - Team Georgia has withdrawn from the competition - officials in consultation about track and safety.

The curve he went off was nick named "50/50" by the competitors.

Very very sad.

[toph]

Tragic.

[Ashley]

Wow... RIP.
What a horrible way to start the Olympics...

[azone5]

Tragic accident. That really puts a damper on things.

[snow_rocks]

Story on tragedy.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/353691...lympic_sports/

[Ashley]

The video of his death is everywhere... how horrible.

Edit: Alright so apparently he died soon after, so technically it is footage of the "crash," not his death.
Whatever. It is so sad that the last moments of his life are going to be shown around the world.

[Sweramic]

No.... No..... No.....

I hate when these things happens. Every death is tragic, but knowing he died while doing the thing he probably loved the most is very hard to think of for me.

RIP

[Sweramic]

I just watched the video of the sad death. And this is noooot good for the Olympic Games in Vancouver, I tell you!

How the #T"#¤T could they have unpadded steel/cement posts after a curve in which you go in almost 150 km/h? That poor guy...

[Rscmaine]

Originally Posted by Ashley

The video of his death is everywhere... how horrible.

Edit: Alright so apparently he died soon after, so technically it is footage of the "crash," not his death.
Whatever. It is so sad that the last moments of his life are going to be shown around the world.

Sadly we will see that for the next 2 weeks over and over...

Who here is old enough to recall "The agony of defeat...?" That video ran as an ad and theme video for ABC'S Wide World of Sports throughout my childhood...it was terrifying a to me as a kid.

http://www.videosift.com/video/The-A...here-Is-He-Now

Vinko Bogataj - Today, Bogataj still lives in his home town of Lesce, Slovenia. He is married and has two daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys woodcarving and painting.

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

I just watched the video of the sad death. And this is noooot good for the Olympic Games in Vancouver, I tell you!

How the #T"#¤T could they have unpadded steel/cement posts after a curve in which you go in almost 150 km/h? That poor guy...

It isn't just Vancouver, I don't know of any luge track that has padding or anything.

[Ashley]

[QUOTE=Rscmaine;1646314]Sadly we will see that for the next 2 weeks over and over...

QUOTE]

That breaks my heart. I actually just wrote on my blog about it, how his personal tragedy will be displayed to millions of people, in slow-mo over and over again. The last minutes of his life. I felt like I was watching a snuff-film or something. So freaking sad. He was only 21...

[Mike B]

Ouch ! Very sad indeed.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by Ashley

It isn't just Vancouver, I don't know of any luge track that has padding or anything.

Why even have cement posts that close to the track anyways?!

This is crazy and I am very angry right now. How could no-one figure the danger to have those post that close in the last corner of the track, in a sport where you basically are unprotected and going 150 km/h

I cannot understand why this sport haven't gotten any further. Something as basic as a plexi glass cover over the track would prevent any of this to happen.

May he rest in piece and it is sad that a person's life will be taken in order for something to happen, because I really hope this sport gets more secure.

It appears right now that there won't be any luge in the Olympics. The track is obviously too dangerous.

[Sweramic]

Oh am I pissed... There has apparantely been discussions about the luge track... That it is the fastest ever.. To me, it's a pure death trap. It can't be that uncommon that people fly out from the track but to have these poles on the sides is just ridiculous!

[Rscmaine]

Actually I believe they WILL run the races - they can heat the track and slow down the times....

What SHOULD happen is every single Luge athelete should refuse to compete out of respect.

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

Oh am I pissed... There has apparantely been discussions about the luge track... That it is the fastest ever.. To me, it's a pure death trap. It can't be that uncommon that people fly out from the track but to have these poles on the sides is just ridiculous!

Others crashed or nearly-crashed on earlier runs today. To be honest, I am surprised there aren't more fatalaties than there are.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by Ashley

Others crashed or nearly-crashed on earlier runs today. To be honest, I am surprised there aren't more fatalaties than there are.

There has only been three previous deaths in a winter olympic and it is really tragical that it is before the opening ceremony. I really hope there will be a quiet minute for the poor 21-year-old.

I sincerely that they remove or destroy the track and have the competition on another track somewhere else.

[Rscmaine]

This was expected and reported on

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/...798/story.html

There comes a time when a stupid medal needs to be weighted against the insanity of 'pushing the limit'.

(And I was an alternate on the 1976 Olympic Wrestling Team...I speak with some background on this insane competitive level)

Look at the grace and beauty of the Peggy Fleming figure skating era and compare it with the need to perform 4 triple jumps today and at least one quad...

This is turning into Rollerball.

[snow_rocks]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

There has only been three previous deaths in a winter olympic and it is really tragical that it is before the opening ceremony. I really hope there will be a quiet minute for the poor 21-year-old.

I sincerely that they remove or destroy the track and have the competition on another track somewhere else.

Your sentiments are duly noted, but that is not going to happen.

Death in dangerous sports happens!

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by snow_rocks

Your sentiments are duly noted, but that is not going to happen.

Death in dangerous sports happens!

But why do they have to make a dangerous sport even more dangerous?

Can't you agree that having multiple steel or cement posts (probably a meter thick or something) right next to the track after a curve is stupid?

Have you seen what the track looked like? I do not want you to watch the video because it did not look good.

[Rscmaine]

Originally Posted by snow_rocks

Your sentiments are duly noted, but that is not going to happen.

Death in dangerous sports happens!

The Full Nelson was outlawed in wrestling due to the very real chance of death.

Helmet restraints are required in Nascar.

A safe warm track with a maximum G force of 10 and a top speed of 80 - all competitors run the same track - and the highest skilled competitor wins.

There is no need to drop these great athletes from an airplane - metaphorically - for our amusement.

[Sweramic]

Just look at downhill skiing, they have 3 or 4 layers of nets to prevent the skiers from crashing into trees.. What that Olympic Luge competitor basically did was skiing in 150 km/h without any security nets...

[kjb]

Cement post next to the tracks is asinine !!!

[Ashley]

Originally Posted by Rscmaine

The Full Nelson was outlawed in wrestling due to the very real chance of death.

Helmet restraints are required in Nascar.

A safe warm track with a maximum G force of 10 and a top speed of 80 - all competitors run the same track - and the highest skilled competitor wins.

There is no need to drop these great athletes from an airplane - metaphorically - for our amusement.

Though I agree that it doesn't seem that there are enough safety restrictions placed on these guys, they do definitely know the risks. It is one of the most dangerous sports out there. They know what they are up against.

[snow_rocks]

Originally Posted by Dreambaby

But why do they have to make a dangerous sport even more dangerous?

Can't you agree that having multiple steel or cement posts (probably a meter thick or something) right next to the track after a curve is stupid?

Have you seen what the track looked like? I do not want you to watch the video because it did not look good.

I've seen the one photo, and this freak accident didn't happen at the dreaded 50-50 turn. Even if those poles were padded, that luge person still would not have a chance. Unseen error by the engineers who built the course. Climbing Everest is still more dangerous.

And Nat, MMA is ten times more destructive than wrestling.

[Alcan]

A very sad thing to happen. My local radio station is reporting that competitors were already complaining about the track being too fast and dangerous before this tragedy occured.

I like Carl's idea, slow the track down, they're still competing on an equal footing.

[Rscmaine]

Originally Posted by snow_rocks

I've seen the one photo, and this freak accident didn't happen at the dreaded 50-50 turn. Even if those poles were padded, that luge person still would not have a chance. Unseen error by the engineers who built the course. Climbing Everest is still more dangerous.

And Nat, MMA is ten times more destructive than wrestling.

Forgive my ignorance...what is MMA?

(And don't get me wrong...I was a "Blue Water" racer for decades - single hand sailing in the Atlantic where one slip meant certain death...I understand the risks...I once dislocated my shoulder 300 miles east of Cape MaY N.J., reset it by running my arm up the mast and jumping off the pilot house, duct taped it across my chest, then sailed into port with only my left arm...These sports are dangerous - but there should be better safeguards in place. I never left the dock without a safety harness and an auto inflatable life vest, and I never went more than shoulder height above the companionway without clipping on...)

[Art 1]

Very sad, I feel so sorry for this young mans family. That track looks very dangerous with those beams along side.

I wish that the TV stations would stop showing this accident in respect of his family.

[Kapture1]

I have always thought If I were to die on my motorcycle... living on the edge, doing what I love doing... that it would not be a tragedy and would not want anyone to cry at my funeral........... Until today. I was wrong, life is wonderful, and can end so fast, and in such a tragic way. Its heart breaking, My thoughts and prayers go out to that young mans family.

[ParisDakarBmw]

I don't blame anyone for this, but it looked bad in the video. There should have been a plexiglass wall, or a lack of concrete post near a 90MPH portion of the track. The sport is dangerous, and the racer knew the risk. We are talking about a grown man who earns a living doing this.

As for the video....That shouldn't be circulated as it has. There is obviously no respect for this man, and has become a rubber neck dream for the nosy. I'm guilty, and feel bad for watching the last seconds of a humans life. Someone I didn't know, and only looked because of the big stir on the news. Don't care to see it anymore.