Whistler Sliding Centre - Pushing the Boundaries of Sport & Safety?

The tragic death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, has spurred serious speculation regarding the safety of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

The fatal crash sent ripples of shock and sadness throughout the world and marked a tragic start to the 2010 Winter Games. Since Kumaritashvili's death, there have been several more luge track crashes, including one crash that sent an Australian Bobsledder to hospital last night.

The design committee commissioned to construct the Whistler Sliding Centre promised to build the "most challenging course" to ever exist, but the main question is if the track's safety was considered over level of difficulty. The length of the track for men's luge is 1,374 metres with an elevation of 938 metres at the top and 786 metres at the bottom. With 16 corners and a vertical drop of 152 metres, the track is extremely demanding.

Other Olympic lugers have expressed their uncertainty in maintaining control on the track and the president of the World Luge Federation, Josef Fendt, claims "the track is too fast" with the maximum speed about 20km/h faster than the planned maximum of 137km/h. Even outspoken celebrities like David Letterman have put their two cents in, lashing out at Olympic officials over the safety of the track.

Despite criticism about the track's safety, an investigation conducted by the International Luge Federation and Vancouver Olympic officials has ended with the consensus against any major changes to the track or delays in competition. Although a wall was raised with protective sheeting where the slider lost control and sliders are starting lower on the track to decrease exceeding maximum speed, the investigation has revealed the accident was caused by human error and not deficiencies in the track's architecture. A late entrance into curve 16 triggered Kumaritashvili's excessive speed and although the athlete worked to reconcile the problem at the last turn, he was unable to maintain control.

Others claim that limited access to tracks such as this makes the Olympic Games an unfair competition as those who have access can practice and adapt to challenges while those have not experienced such a difficult course become disadvantaged. Kumaritashvili himself had proclaimed to his father just days before he died that he was terrified of the track and predicted that he would "either win or die" at the Winter Olympics.

There are arguments both for and against the safety of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre. The balance between sport challenge and safety has always been an issue among professional athletes and associations. To prevent such a tragedy from occurring again it is a dialogue that will constantly be in motion.

What are your thoughts on the Whistler Sliding Centre and the safety of the track?