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Death at the Olympics
February 12, 2010 - 4:36pm
http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/luge/story/2010/02/12/spo-luge-georgian-alert...
I'm not even sure what to say, accept that this is horrific and incredibly upsetting... how many millions for these events and they haven't even made them safe?
I think the worst part of it is that VANOC knew the run was dangerous, and organizers promised to ensure a run this fast and steep wouldn't occur at games in the future...
Brutal. Condolences to his family, friends and team.
Are athletes becoming modern gladiators? Is this the beginning of the wheels coming off these Surveillance Games? Will opponents of the Games be somehow BLAMED for the luger's death? Does this make one confirmed in not wanting to watch or be a part of these Games?
Nodar Kumaritashvili (1988-2010)
i'd like to know the answers to all of those questions thats for sure. I for one never supported the games, but always supported the athletes, this is horrific and really justifies protesting the games to me
there is to be a press conference in like 30 mins
RIP. Re this death on the 'Thunderbird' Course, another competitor said:
"I think they're pushing it ...Australia's Hannah Campbell Pegg said Thursday night after she nearly lost control in training. To what extend are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we're crash-test dummies? I mean - this is our lives!" (CBC comments)
Watch for heavy duty corporate media damage control on this story
I saw that, about 12 people have been injured, including very experienced atheltes, and yet the news is like oh well he was "inexperienced" and only a "part-time" luger, and that the run hasnt been open much so there hasnt been enough practice....
I'm far more concerned about regular deaths of skiers and snowmobilers around Canada, in situations where regulation and enforcement could save lives, than about incidents like these. Surely there are any number of Olympic sports where a wrong step can mean severe injury or death. Unless it is shown that the course was negligently or improperly maintained, then I think we have to chalk this up to a statistic in a risky endeavour.
"When I first got on this track, I thought that somebody was going to kill themselves.." US Luger Tony Benshoof to NBC news
Before
not to mention he hit a metal pole, after becoming airbourne over a wall that is clearly too low. I think that maybe the sport needs to consider new safety precautions for these tracks.
I agree that skiing and snowmobiling accidents are a serious problem, but my point here is that this is beyond ridiculous, you expect a certain degree of safety at the olympics if you are an athlete. Plus the track was known to be too fast and too steep, and was closed so there has been no access for practice. this defintiely puts some onus onto vanoc and the ioc i think
Then the provincial authorities should shut the damned place down until it can be certified as safe. What a farce these Olympics are, sacrificing young people for money-grubbing entrepeneurs.
He was on stolen land and basically trespassing. I'm not saying he deserved to die but really if he had respected the territory then this would never have happened. Maybe this is a sign from the Creator to leave asap.
I never supported the games OR the athletes.
But it is awful that this person died.
This man dying is a sign from your creator??
Lovely. While he/she is smiting tresspassers he/she should take a look at unemployment, substence abuse and poverty.
The "Creator" of what?
What's puzzling to me is that the designers had those exposed (and unpadded) steel beams along the run.
CTV and CBC both reported that the Luge competitors, IOC, and VANOC are in emergency meetings to see what to do. IMO they either have to dismantle the track altogether (unlikely), slow it down somehow, or find another venue (impossible).
Traditional and social media air death video from Whistler luge trackhttp://www.vancouversun.com/Olympic+tragedy+Death+porn+sharing+news/2557...
All in all this is looking like a bad omen ...first Mr republican steroid man runs with the torch..now a luger dies from a track where competitors feel they are guinea pig crash test dummies...what's next?
Would you be happy if he was just paralyzed or permanently brain damaged? He was an athlete representing his Country, which was not Canada. He did not come to Canada expecting to die on your alleged stolen land. Maybe it was stolen, I do not know. He probably was not aware that this land is a contentious issue with this community. This post of yours is probably one of the sickest examples of showboating for a cause I've ever witnessed.
I would tell you to go FUCK yourself, however it appears by your words, you already have.
One, flagging this.
Two, this may be the most prickish thing I've head in a long, long time.
How much if this crap is acceptable around here? This is the sort of statement that if posted elsewhere by a white person the vast majority of you would rage against. BTW, it isn't you're fucking land, and you're never going to get it back, there, hows that for respectful, then again, I could have wished you dead, or maybe i'll just wait until you die in an accident and then say good on ya.
Disgusting
Well, okay then. Apparently, maybe it wasn't his day.
http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/luge/story/2010/02/12/spo-luge-georgian-alert.html
It is obvious to anyone who views the footage, that the course itself is an outrageously designed deathtrap. Not only too fast but the lack of protection preventing flying lugers from smashing into those metal pillars is beyond belief. They surely can't be planning on endangering more lives on it? As for Pound - he's a Dick.
Hopefully those metal pillars will now be padded before there is any possibility of a repeat situation.
By-the-way the opening ceremonies are a wonderful expression of appreciation for our First Nations peoples overshadowing everything else at least so far.
If it was posted by a white person they would be banned. E.Tamaran is a PoC and therefore can get away with saying practically anything here he wants. I'm a person of colour too and quite frankly I'm embarassed by that double standard.
I remember him saying "Good 4 less pigs" when 4 parents including a woman (who also happen to be police officers) were killed. The only thing I remember hearing was basically "I wonder if we should do anythng about that comment" from the moderators.
When I hear comments like his I think of all the excuses for racisim and gay bashing. Those good ol'boys killed that homo because god made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. My God is a White God blah blah blah.
Know who's God also kills people as a warning? westboro aptish church.
The dead olympic athlete's people were in BC before yours were, E.Taraman.
I'm with you Yarg it's a disgusting comment.
Moderators!!! Is it acceptable for settlers to claim FN land isn't really ours, and that we'll never get it back?! How the FUCK can this sort of hate can ever be acceptable?!
Not to detract from your points, which are a whole separate issue, but how is it acceptable for you to be a complete dickhead about today's events upstream in this thread? You basically asserted that this guy's death was some sort of karmic retribution for him being on stolen land. You really come across as an ass on this one, and I think you should apologize.
It is possible to protest the Olympics and have something valid to say about native land claims without coming across as a massive tool.