Turin: the way to Olympic is a briar patch
The death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili has been one of the biggest stories at these Olympics.
Organizers have faced a significant amount of scrutiny surrounding the design of the Whistler track and numerous athletes have complained that the track was too fast and too dangerous.
But complaints about a dangerous luge track are nothing new. During the Winter Games in Turin, sliding athletes also talked about the dangerous nature of that track.
A USA Today article from 2006 is full of quotes that wouldn't be out of place at these Olympics.
From the article:
"It's not anymore about medals, everyone fights for life," said Italy's Anastasia Oberstolz-Antonova. "It's not sport anymore."
Canadian luger Chris Moffat called it "the hardest track in the world right now."
"It's definitely challenging every athlete," Moffat said. "I would have to say you'd have to be a loony if you weren't scared."
The Turin track also saw a number of injuries including a serious one to Ukrainian Roman Yazinskyy that saw him put into a medically-induced coma. Two Canadians, Ian Cockerline and Meaghan Simister, also had accidents on the course.
Despite these mishaps Turin Games organizers also defended the safety of that track. "The track is not dangerous. It is the sport that is dangerous," Turin Games spokesperson Giuseppe Gattino said.
