WHISTLER, British Columbia — Officials responsible for the luge competitions at the Vancouver Olympics moved the men’s starting gate down the track because of the fatality of a slider from the republic of Georgia, but competitors criticized the decision before the beginning of the competition Saturday night.
Officials of the Vancouver Organizing Committee and the International Luge Federation said they wanted to reduce speeds to ease “emotional” trauma of the athletes. Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training run Friday when he lost control of his sled, flew off the track and struck a pole.
“This is to ensure that the athletes who still have to get on that ice do so in a positive way,” said Tim Gayda, vice president for sport of the VANOC. “We still want an Olympic competition, but we have to be respectful of those athletes — their friend died on that track.”
On Saturday, officials started the men at what had been the women’s start.
“For me, it’s really disappointing,” Canadian slider Ian Cockerline said. “I wanted to race from the men’s start. That’s where my strength is.”
Cockerline’s coach, Wolfgang Staudinger of Germany, said Friday’s fatality was “100 percent” the fault of the slider.
“That was not a track issue,” Staudinger said. “It was driving error.”
Salt Lake City engineer David Baranowski, who helped design the Whistler Sliding Centre and is part of the firm that also helped in the construction of the luge/bobsled track for the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics, agreed.
“The athlete made a mistake,” said Baranowski, adding that Kumaritashvili had taken six practice runs. “You can’t blame the track, per se. If you saw the video, he was so high on the wall. At some point, gravity takes over.
“It is horrible that this happened.”
Kumaritashvili was the first luge athlete to die in competition since 1975. No luger had died at the Olympics since the sport was introduced to the Olympic program in 1964.
“None of our athletes have experienced this (before),” said Svein Romstad, secretary general of the International Luge Federation. “They lost a friend. It is emotional for everyone.”
Levan Gureshidze, the teammate of Kumaritashvili, was on the official start list but decided not to compete.
Saturday night’s two competitive rounds went off without mishap. American Chris Mazdzer said the lowered start reduced speeds by 5-6 mph. Top speeds in training were around 95 mph.
“Every track in the world has the potential for what happened,” Mazdzer said after his second run. “I never thought anything so atrocious could happen. I really didn’t find this a dangerous track. It’s definitely technical, and if you mess up, you’re going to flip over.”
The men’s luge will be completed today after two more runs.
“It’s incredibly difficult, seeing that (fatality) and having to go race,” Mazdzer said. “I really can’t put it into words, I’m sorry.”
The Salt Lake Tribune and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
