Fil defend decision to proceed with Olympic luge following tragic death

From Sportsbeat staff, in Whistler

OFFICIALS from luge's international governing body have defended their decision to stage today's men's competition - just one day after Georgian slider Nodar Kumaritashvili lost his life during a training run.

ALTERATIONS: Changes are made to the bottom section of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre (Getty Images)

Svein Romstad, Fil's secretary general, confirmed cancelling the entire competition had been discussed.

However, he claimed the move to go-ahead as planned had the full support of athletes although it had been taken by the race director, in consultation with the race jury.

"We tried to follow the rule book of the Fil and the decision to race today was made by the race director, who spoke to several team captains," he said.

"I'm not aware of any athletes who don't want to participate any further in the competition.

"When we met the team captains this morning, not a single person questioned our decision to race today as scheduled.

"Our athletes lost a friend yesterday and it's emotional for everyone."

Men's competitors will now commence their runs at the women's start, meaning they will miss the first corner - a move expected to lower their average speed by just ten kilometres per hour.

Luge's governing body also ordered the wall on curve 16 to be raised and changes to be made to the ice's profile to lower speeds.

However, they denied these moves were any admission that the venue at Whistler Sliding Centre, which had been heavily criticised before the Games, was too dangerous. Kumaritashvili was the sport's first fatality in 35 years.

Fil's investigation into the accident has already concluded, with athlete error given as the cause.

But president Josef Fendt reiterated the competence of the 21-year old Georgian slider, who had 26 runs on the Whistler course and was ranked 44th in the world.

Vancouver 2010's vice president for sport, Tim Gayda, defended the decision of the Canadian Olympic Committee to restrict access to the track for training runs.

It was a move designed to give home sliders a big competitive advantage and has been a key talking point for international competitors, including Shelley Rudman, Great Britain's skeleton silver medallist at the 2006 Olympics.

"In terms of track access we worked closely with the Fil and Fibt (world governing body for bobsleigh and skeleton) to allow athletes on the track. We've lived up to those obligations and surpassed them," said Gayda.

Romstad added: "The number of runs that people have had in Vancouver has been more than any other Olympic track."