Does anyone know how to find the address for David Kumaritashvili?

[Peter Lemkin]

The BBC did an interview with his father, so must know his contact information. The interview was very bitter-sweet. His father was a champion luge medal winner for the Soviet Union and had discussed with his son the dangers of this specific track. His father told him to put his feet down and slow the sled. His son said he wouldn't, as he wanted to be the fastest. Talk to the BBC reporter who did the interview.

Thank you so much Peter. I will do that. I'm so disgusted with the reporters I've emailed to so far. Only one responded, saying she'd look into it for me. Then I heard nothing more from her. The others didn't even bother to do that much.

Well, I need to keep digging. I got a couple of good tips from this thread today.

It's almost unbearable watching the pain his father and mother are going through, and his uncle. Just horrendous. I hope they successfully sue the clearly negligent "hosts" of his death: IOC, luge track designer, everyone. Maybe the settlement money can go towards the luge track they're building in Nodar's memory. And maybe it won't be the fastest track in the world. Hey, Whistler has that claim to infamy. But it could be a place people from around the world are drawn to. Maybe.

Kumaritashvili told father he was afraid of luge track

David Kumaritashvili with a picture of his son Nodar


The Georgian luger killed in a training accident in Vancouver phoned his father before the Games to say the layout of the track frightened him.

Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, died last Friday when his sled flipped and he left the track, hitting a steel pole at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

His father David told the BBC's Tom Esslemont: "I spoke to Nodar when he was training before the Games began.

"He told me he was afraid about one of the curves of the track in Canada."

The father is an experienced luger himself and he told his son to use his legs to slow himself down at the part of the run that concerned him.


He continued: "His response was 'Dad, I want to be in the top 10. I want to do my best.' He was angry. He said: 'Why are you telling me to slow down? I have come such a long way and now you are telling me to put my legs on the track?'

"But I never ever thought that his taking part would lead to his death. But unfortunately it was the end. There were metal pillars after the bend and that was where he crashed.

"If those pillars had not been there this would not have happened. I might have seen him again alive."

He revealed that Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili phoned him in tears to say that the country had lost a hero. 606: DEBATE
Tragedy on the ice
Mat Power


"I am not blaming anyone. But the 15th and 16th curves were designed in such a way that was too tight. When Nodar rushed around the corner at 145kph (90mph) he lost his balance," added Mr Kumaritashvili.

"I am not going to sue anyone. My son proved that he is a strong sportsman. And he proved it to the whole world. God will decide who is to blame.

"I am surprised that they continued with the luge event, because of what happened and because sportsmen who are more experienced and stronger than Nodar pulled out."

After the accident, organisers allowed the event to proceed after making safety changes but Kumaritashvili's Georgian team-mate Levan Gureshidze withdrew from the Games.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_...517281.stm

[interview with father on this page]