Experts from the International Luge Federation have concluded that there was nothing wrong with the track where a Georgian luger died in a training accident, saying the crash was the athlete's fault.
Nodar Kumaritashvili died on Friday after coming off the track at the Whistler Sliding Center near the end of the run and flying into a metal pole at 140 km/h (90 mph).
After Canadian coroners and police finished their investigation of the tragedy, International Luge Federattion (FIL) officials carried out their own probe, and following a physical inspection of the track concluded that the Georgian athlete was responsible for his fatal crash.
"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," the FIL said in a joint statement with the Vancouver Organizing Committee.
"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 statement on the Vancouver 2010 site said.
The Games organizers have been criticized over the accident, with Russian luge team coach Mikhail Zavyalov saying it should have been prevented.
"The sportsman is not to blame at all," he told RIA Novosti by telephone.
The track is to reopen on Saturday morning following changes to the ice profile and raising of the walls at the exit to turn 16.
There will be two further practice runs for competitors before the competition goes ahead as scheduled at 5 p.m. local time on Saturday (01:00 GMT Sunday).
The statement described the changes to the track as "a preventative measure, in order to avoid that such an extremely exceptional accident could occur again."
MOSCOW, February 13 (RIA Novosti)
