January 23, 2012

What is it going to take for a little bit of change? 

My teammates have been on my mind since the accident took place here in Altenberg, Germany. I am thankful none of them are in critical condition, but the injuries they have sustained are very serious and cannot be taken lightly. 

Although there is a sense of relief knowing my teammates and friends will be ok, I can't rid myself of the anger that has grown inside since the crash. I witnessed the crash on the large monitor at the finish dock, as we had just finished our first run of the training session. Initially it was a very small error at the exit of corner 15. Just enough pressure to send the sled rolling onto its side. A corner I have done in Calgary and Whistler while driving a sled. It's a mistake that happens at tracks all over the world.  It was only when the corner took the sled and sent it into the roof twice that I realized the true nature of the crash. My first response was to get in the track and stabilize the sled as it slid through the breaking stretch. When no sled came I figured they had been hooked and assisted. When I returned to the finish dock and looked at the screen, I realized how serious this was. Team Monaco had done their run before us and happened to have their Physiotherapist, Thomas, at the finish dock as well. He had run down, thankfully, to see if he could provide some assistance. 

Derek Plug, a member of Chris Springs team, was on film duty between corner 14 and 15, and heard the blast the sled made most likely when it came down from the roof and smashed the concrete short wall. When he arrived and saw the state of the sled he wasn't even sure if his team would be alive. To give you an idea, a 4 man bobsleigh weighs 220 kilograms or 485 pounds, and according to Derek, it was in a state he never could have imagined. The steel front axel had ripped through the entire front end of the sled. The rest was filled and penetrated from arm sized jagged shards of wood all from the obliterated roof top. 

It wasn't until after I had heard from Thomas and Tim, who was in the sled, that I felt this anger. When Thomas arrived at the crash he was the first with any sort of medical experience to be at the scene.  This was minutes after the crash occurred. No ambulance, no doctors, no track emergency crew. I was told that it took 10 minutes for a crew to arrive at the scene, and when it did, the circus began. The quality of the stretchers used wouldn't have been acceptable 40 years ago. No one was being stabilized, and it wasn't until our chiropractor got there that they had any form of neck brace to put on the injured athletes. 

I look back to the terrible accident at the Whistler track during the 2010 Olympics with the death of the luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili from Georgia, and can't help but think - what else needs to happen to ensure that their are proper protocol in place at every single sliding track around the world to ensure the safety of the athletes incase of a crash?  

We, as sliding sport athletes, know and understand the risks every single time we step into our sleds. We make the choice to participate in these sports. I do it for the love of the sport and the opportunity to represent my country. I have never experienced anything greater than wearing red and white during the 2010 Olympics. I will continue to compete for my country in the sport of bobsleigh. Knowing the risk, understanding the potential danger, because I love the sport, my teammates and my country. 

When I see the way this was handled I can't help but think become filled with anger and scream, "what more is it going to take?" Action needs to be taken at the track in Altenberg, Germany.  People need to be held accountable. 

This is not a new story. In 2008  World Championships for bobsleigh and skeleton were held here. Over the course of the training runs and races there were over 30+ crashes. Some of which I know caused athletes to be hospitalized. This could be attributed to the lack of training runs that Altenberg provided for the rest of the nations, but regardless, it shouldn't occur. Again, we all know the risks. I was not there, but if those crashes were handled as poorly as this one I would feel the same way. 

Altenberg is an old track. Beautiful in many ways but also dangerous in many others. Some people may say that it is real bobsleigh at places like Altenberg, Whistler, Cortina, and Lake placid. Tracks where you have to be as sharp and as focused as ever. But that doesn't mean that they should not have safety measures in place and standards of upkeep. The sport has evolved like every other sport. The athletes are bigger and stronger. The sleds are more aerodynamic and faster, and yet the tracks standards stay the same? We are seeing change in all forms of sport, we need to see a change in how to make it safer for the athletes. When a 360 kilogram sled is travelling at 130kms an hour, hits a roof made years ago, and is now rotted wood only to expose steel support structure behind the thin barricade, there is something wrong with the picture. The decision to continue the races this weekend went forward. So to make sure it is safe they put a new piece of wood in the roof? This is it? This is not going to change anything. This will not make it any safer, and what if this small mistake happens again? Chris Spring, like hundreds of bobsledders, made a very small mistake. He was not out of control. His error should not have produced that outcome. He was simply at the mercy of corner 15 and its outdated roof. 

This is not acceptable in football or hockey, soccer, downhill skiing, car racing or any other sport. Why is it ok in bobsleigh? It certainly is not. The FIBT, and any other governing body, that is involved with this sport needs to do something about this and they need to be held accountable when negligence occurs. All who are involved with this federation are also responsible for ensuring the safety of our athletes when crashes and wrecks happen. The world may not be watching as it was during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, but it does not mean the incident did not happen. 

Any decisions our coaches and federation make over the next period of time I will stand up and support them. I felt it was necessary though for me to share with you my feelings at this time. It is only to raise awareness regarding an issue that I feel very strongly about. Bobsleigh is no doubt a risky sport with serious implications. All I want is to know that if a destructive crash like this happens, that there are the people, protocols and safety standards in place to provide the attention needed to my fellow teammates and competitors. Anything less is unacceptable. 

I want to thank everyone who has reached out to me and my teammates during this time. Your love and support is truly felt, even when we are so far away. As I said before, this is something I needed to get off my chest as a fellow teammate, friend and competitor to these 4 men. Thank you to Thomas, Chris and Leo who were able to be there for my friends during the accident.  Continue to send your positive thoughts and wishes to Chris Spring, Tim, Bill and Graeme. I know it is appreciated. 

JL