Injured Luger Considers Suit, While Father of Killed Olympian Dismisses the Idea
The father of the Olympic luge athlete killed in an accident last week is dismissing the idea of a lawsuit. But a luger injured in a November accident is considering the possibility.
Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training accident Feb. 12. His father, David Kumaritashvili, bristled when a reporter asked about a lawsuit, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reported earlier this week.
“What lawsuit? What kind of a person would do that?” he asked. “My son is dead and that wouldn’t bring him back.”
Olympic officials were notified about potential safety problems by another luger who was injured in a November crash, the New York Times reports. Werner Hoeger sent “a volley of letters and e-mail messages” to Canadian and international luge officials about track safety and lack of access to practice runs, the story says.
Hoeger’s lawyer, Bryan Storer, told the Times his client has not decided whether to sue.
Meanwhile, Legal Blog Watch, citing Tactical IP, says Kumaritashvili’s accident has spawned another legal issue. The International Olympic Committee sought to take down Internet video of the accident by asserting a copyright in the clips.
