21-year-old Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, died after sustaining massive injuries in a slope accident. He crashed into a steel poll and was tossed from his sled. The Judiciary Report sends its condolences to his family, friends and teammates.
Nodar Kumaritashvili
Luger's death casts somber tone to Vancouver Games
VANCOUVER — The death of Nodar Kumaritashvili of Republic of Georgia, just hours before the opening ceremonies at the Vancouver Games, cast a somber mood over the sliding sports venue in Whistler and throughout the Olympic community.
The 21-year-old luger, traveling about 90 mph, flew off the track near the end of a training run, hit a steel pillar and was later declared dead.
Nikolos Rurua, Georgia's minister of sport, called Kumaritashvili's death "devastating for us, for Georgian athletes, for Georgian delegation, for Georgian people."
