Shame On The IOC (International Olympic Committee)

[Guest Tristan]

Anyone watching the Olympics is familiar with the tragic death of the young luger from the Republic of Georgia while training. There had been 12 accidents in training, including a female luger who fell unconscious. The luge track is just too fast. Top lugers warned the IOC that the track is unsafe, but the IOC did nothing.

 

I realize that the Olympics has the philosophy, "The Games Must Go On". But that doesn't mean they have to proceed with the men's luge events using the "death track" unless they can make some safely modifications, or use the women's starting point. I'd rather see the event cancelled than have another luger killed by this track.

 

The following article is not from the NYT or The Washington Post. But it's a pretty decent article that addresses the safety issue of the track, as well as other issues. I don't necessarily personally agree with all of the issues, but I think it's worth reading to understand the basic safety issue and the incredible reaction of the IOC.

 

http://olympics.fanhouse.com/2010/02/12/a-fast-track-tragedy-shame-on-olympics/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Folympics.fanhouse.com%2F2010%2F02%2F12%2Fa-fast-track-tragedy-shame-on-olympics%2F

[KMEM]

I agree with a comment in the attached link that "sport has gone mad", meaning the Olympics have gotten completely out of control, both economically and politically. The third issue is, "speed at any cost" which seems to be the operative phrase in many "sports".

 

As many will have already noted, there are plenty in Vancouver and elsewhere who think the money being spent on this Olympics is unconscionable. The politics and "speed" are additional issues.

 

I would love and much prefer to see the Olympics return to the "old" days where spirited competition but much less political and economic issues were in the forefront. I assume no such luck.

 

Best regards,

 

KMEM

[+ deej]

For my entire life, I've heard of luge every four years when the Olympics roll around. EVERY FOUR YEARS I'm reminded by somber reporters what a dangerous sport it is. EVERY FOUR YEARS.

 

Now, because of this accident, whiney do-gooders in granny panties are wringing their hands and shrieking about how dangerous the sport is.

 

SUDDENLY NOTICED, DIDYA? Where is the outrage when a skier has to be airlifted off a mountain or a speed skater breaks an arm in a fall or a figure skater suffers a brain injury when her partner drops her on her head?

 

There is danger in almost every sport. (Maybe not curling.) Here, an inexperienced practitioner got wiped out on a track he probably shouldn't have been allowed on in the first place.

 

There's an awful lot of over-reacting going on. The end result will be to put all athletes in padded, Teflon-coated bubbles so they can never collide with anything, stick to anything, or break anything.