In a bobsled accident on Thursday at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, a track worker suffered two broken legs and a suspected concussion.
The injured worker was on the track when he was hit at speed by a forerunning bobsled close to the finish line at the Sanki Sliding Center. The accident occurred just before the start of the day’s two-man bobsled training.
IOC President Thomas Bach told The Associated Press : “We still do not know why he was in this zone and exactly what happened. The information we have so far is that he has a broken leg and maybe a concussion. We are following up on this matter.”
Mark Adams, spokesman for the IOC also told the AP : “I understand he is conscious and talking and has two broken legs.” The injured worker, who is yet to be identified, needed to be airlifted to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for his injuries.
Following the bobsled accident, the first training session was delayed for over 30 minutes as a maintenance team worked to repair a light fixture which was smashed during the accident.
The track at Sochi was designed with safety in mind, following the death of Nodar Kumarishtavili in an accident hours before the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Games four years ago .
So far, the track has seen no major accidents, and even the athletes have been complimenting it.
U.S skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender said after the first two heats of the woman’s bobsled competition:”To be honest, the ice (is) phenomenal. It’s better than it was in training and whoever they got working on the ice, kudos, because they are doing Olympic level work on the track. It is fast and it’s fun.”
It remains to be seen what misunderstanding led to the bobsled accident in Sochi as the relevant authorities investigate the incident.