Luge goes ahead after death of Nodar Kumaritashvili
The luge event at the Winter Olympics will go ahead on Saturday despite the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili.
The 21-year-old Georgian died when his sled flipped and he smashed into a steel pole during a final training run at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
The decision to go ahead was taken after probes by local coroners and the International Luge Federation (FIL).
Officials concluded the track was not unsafe but that the athlete "did not compensate properly" going into a bend.
As a precaution, the walls at the exit of the final curve, where Kumaritashvili was thrown from the track, will be raised.
Two extra training runs will be held at the circuit on Saturday morning, nine hours before the medal competition begins at 1700 (0100 GMT).
A statement on the Vancouver 2010 website said: "It appears after a routine run, the athlete came late out of curve 15 and did not compensate properly to make correct entrance into curve 16.
"This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 and although the athlete worked to correct the problem he eventually lost control of the sled resulting in the tragic accident.
"The technical officials of the FIL were able to retrace the path of the athlete and concluded there was no indication that the accident was caused by deficiencies in the track.
WINTER OLYMPIC TRAGEDIES
1964 - British luger Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski and Australian skier Ross Milne killed while training for Innsbruck
1988 - Austrian team doctor Jorg Oberhammer died after being hit by a snow grooming machine at Calgary Games
1992 - Swiss skier Nicolas Bochatay killed after crashing into a snow vehicle in Albertville
2010 - Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili killed in training for luge event in Vancouver
"Based on these findings the race director, in consultation with the FIL, made the decision to reopen the track following a raising of the walls at the exit of curve 16 and a change in the ice profile.
"This was done as a preventative measure, in order to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again."
Georgia confirmed they will compete in the Games as a tribute to Kumaritashvili and marched as scheduled at the opening ceremony, wearing black arm bands and looking visibly upset.
The crash happened hours before the opening ceremony, which was dedicated in his honour. A minute's silence was also observed for Kumaritashvili.
The Olympic and Canadian Flags were lowered to half mast while the Georgian athletes placed a black patch on their national flag.
Kumaritashvili's sled struck the inside of the track's last turn during his sixth and final training run, sending his body into the air and over a concrete wall.
His sled remained on the track, and the visor from his helmet appeared to continue down the ice.
Medical staff at the track and doctors at a local hospital tried to resuscitate Kumaritashvili, part of a seven-strong Georgian team, but the country's Olympic delegation later confirmed he had died as a result of his injuries.
BBC SPORT
