VANCOUVER — The Republic of Georgia’s Olympic team decided not to withdraw from the Games after its luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, was killed in a training run this morning.
The remaining seven members of the Georgian Olympic delegation said they would stay in the games and dedicated their performances to their fallen teammate.
A visibly shaken IOC president Jacques Rogge said at an afternoon news conference that Georgia team officials had considered backing out of competition. The Opening Ceremonies were to be held tonight at 7 o’clock MST.
Georgia’s remaining team consists of three alpine skiers, two lady figure skaters and another luger, Levan Gureshidze.
Rogge halted before addressing the media assembly.
“Sorry, it’s a bit difficult to remain composed,” he said. “This is a very sad day. The IOC is in deep mourning. Here you have a young athlete who lost his life in pursuing his passion. He had a dream to participate in the Olympic Games. He trained hard and he had this fatal accident. I have no words to say what we feel.”
John Furlong, president of the Vancouver Olympic Committee, sniffled before saying, “Nodar Kumaritashvili came to Canada with hopes and dreams that this would be a magnificent occasion in his life. I’m told by members of his federation that he was an incredibly spirited young person. He came here to be able to feel what it would be like to call yourself an Olympian.
“We are heartbroken beyond words to sit here. I’m so sorry to be in this position reporting this to you. It’s not something I was prepared for or ever thought I’d ever need to be prepared for. My team has been devastated by this. Our hearts and prayers are now with Nodar’s family.”
The International Luge Federation is investigating the accident that was shown briefly on local television then not shown after the death was confirmed. Kumaritashvili, 21, lost control of his sled on the last turn in which he slid too hard into the inside wall and blasted over the outside wall. He hit backwards against an unpadded steel pole.
The incident fatally underscored a growing concern among lugers that the track at the Whistler Slider Centre, considered the fastest in the world, is too fast. Since training began Wednesday, dozens of lugers have failed to negotiate the course in which speeds are topping 90 mph.
Among those who have crashed include Armin Zoeggeler, Italy’s two-time defending gold medalist. A Romanian woman was knocked unconscious in one run and four American women struggled to reach the bottom of the course.
“I think they are pushing it a little too much,” Australia’s Hannah Campbell-Pegg told reporters 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.”
Rogge’s news conference lasted less than 15 minutes.
“This is a time for sorrow,” he said. “It’s not a time to look for reasons.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
