Vancouver Olympics Raise Questions on Luge Competition Safety

It was a scene nobody wanted to see at the dawn of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, but knew it was bound to happen on the super-fast luge track.

Georgian luger Nodar Kumantushvili, 21, was killed during a morning training run on the Whistler track. Kumantushvili was traveling nearly at the speed of 90 mph entering Curve 13 when he lost control on Curve16. The vast speed threw him off into a non-padded pole were he suffered injuries and later died.

The death of this young Georgian Olympian has left many athletes devastated and seeking questions of why this had to happen.

In deed, the luge competition has always been a dangerous and risky Olympic event, in which, may require more investigation of how to keep athletes safe. In this particular sport, athletes compete as an individual or with a partner, which is called a double.

This swift-track has dangerously taken the life of one Olympian and could possibly take more lives; if this track isn't reconstructed for better safety measures, training and controlling speed- drifts over 89mph.

Safety has always been a priority at Olympic Games; especially, when it comes to protecting athletes from external factors. What about protecting athletes from internal factors such as faulty equipment or adding more padded protection.