Measures taken to honor death of Georgian luger

By Lei Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-02-13 15:51

Although Georgian luge athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died during the final training session at the Whistler Sliding Center on Friday morning, had no chance to attend the grand opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, he will be in the hearts of all the people forever.

At the opening ceremony, many measures had been taken to honor him.

Before the ceremony started, the big screen on each side of the stadium wrote that "the opening ceremony is for the Georgia athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili".

Measures taken to honor death of Georgian luger

A dedication to the Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died in a luge practice crash earlier on Friday, is seen on a screen during the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, February 12, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

The Georgian National Olympic Committee (NOC) announced earlier on Friday that the Georgian team will wear black stripes as they march in the Opening Ceremonies to recognize their teammate's untimely death.

All the member of the Georgia delegation that marched in during the athletes' parade wore black stripes on the arm and when they marched in, the audience of the whole stadium, including International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge, stood up to give them supportive applauses.

Flag bearer Iason Abramashvili of Georgia leads his country's delegation into the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, February 12, 2010. The Georgia delegation is wearing black armbands in memory of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died in a crash during a training run. [Photo/Agencies]

During the ceremony, Rogge and Chief Executive Officer of the organizing committe, John Furlong, honored the memory Kumaritashvili as well.

Jacques Rogge (2nd L), President of the International Olympic Committee, stands during a moment of silence to honor the death of Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili during the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia February 12, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

"It is regret and sadness of Georgia luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili, who passed away this morning on the luge track," said Rogge in the opening part of his speech. The Olympic and Canadian Flags also lowered to half mast with a one-minute silence of the whole audience.

As released by the organizing committee, the investigation on the cause of death is led by the Coroners Service of British Columbia and the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police).

The Coroners Service of British Columbia is responsible for the investigation of all unnatural, sudden and unexpected, unexplained or unattended deaths. No other details are available at this time.

A second investigation is underway by the Federation International de Luge (FIL).