Rogge: IOC has moral responsibility for Kumaritashvili's death

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has admitted that Vancouver Games will forever be remembered for the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili.

MORAL RESPONSIBILTY: IOC president Jacques Rogge believes Vancouver 2010 will always be remembered for death of Georgian luger slider (Getty Images)

Kumaritashvili died during a training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre just hours before the opening ceremony.

During a breakfast with Olympic correspondents with newspapers and agencies, he admitted the IOC had a ‘moral responsibility' but not a legal responsibility for the tragedy.

He claimed the incident would be linked with the Games in the same way as Munich is remembered for the terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 11 Israeli athletes.

However, Rogge insists the success of the Games - which were heavily criticised in the opening days - should be looked at separately from the Kumaritashvili incident.

Asked on his overall assessment, he said: "It will be a positive one.

"It's premature to make a final judgement before the Games end.

"We will never forget the death of Kumaritashvili but we owe it to the organisers to make a separate judgement on how they performed.

"Athletes in the village are very happy with the organisation, with the competitions and the supportive crowds.

"There has been a fantastic atmosphere for the fans, something I have only really seen before in Sydney."

AS IT HAPPENS: Day 14 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver