Stress safety and technique

While watching the Winter Olympics, I noticed a large number of falls and other accidents. Because of this, I am writing to voice my opinion about the lack of safety measures in the Olympics.

It seems that many sports only focus on speed or other extreme conditions. These sports completely ignore safety, and they hardly focus on technique. Why don't the Olympic judges include the technique of athletes in sports, such as downhill skiing, bobsled and snowboard cross?

An example of this lack of safety is the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. If only the sport of luge did not only aim completely for speed, his tragic death might have been avoided. More safety precautions should be used on the Whistler Sliding Center's track. Why not add something to slow the athletes at the end?

Before new sports, including ski cross, are introduced, more safety tests need to occur. This could prevent many of the near-fatal falls on the course from happening. If all of the sports in the Olympics were judged more on technique, speeds might be lessened and there would be more safety.

Although the Olympic motto is "Faster, Higher, Stronger," some extra safety measures need to be used. Skiers falling. Bobsleds tipping. Is this what the Olympics are really about? Going to the extremes and risking injuries to just win a medal? If so, maybe the Olympic motto needs to be adjusted to "More Accidents, More Injuries, More Fatal Finishes."

Amy Stark

Hawthorn Woods