Sochi Winter Olympics 2014: Track worker breaks both legs after being hit by forerunner sled

The incident occurred during practice at the Sliding Centre Sanki

James Orr
Thursday 13 February 2014 11:25 EST
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The Sliding Centre Sanki in Sochi
The Sliding Centre Sanki in Sochi (PA)

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A worker at the bobsleigh venue in Sochi has suffered two broken legs and concussion after being hit by a sled while he was doing track maintenance on Thursday.

The worker was at the Sliding Centre Sanki before the first heat of training to repair a light, and was reportedly hit by a forerunner, which runs the track ahead of the competitors to assess the course's conditions.

He was one of three workers at the track at the time but the other two were able to get out of the way before he was hit at the exit of curve 17.

The official training for the two-man bobsleigh event was delayed for half an hour as the worker was tended to and eventually taken to a hospital.

"We are not sure yet how it happened," Thomas Bach, the head of the International Olympic Committee, said. "He is to undergo surgery and we will, of course, continue to monitor his situation and wish him well.

"The information we have so far is that he suffered two compound fractures in the legs but he arrived conscious at the hospital. We are continuing to monitor the situation.

"Our medical director is getting in touch with the medical services, we've been in touch with the organising committee and the international federation but, so far, we do not have any further information."

A statement from the IOC revealed that the worker had sustained two broken legs but was conscious and talking on arrival at the hospital: "The International Olympic Committee is in the process of gathering information from the Sochi 2014 organising committee on an accident that occurred today during bobsleigh training in the mountain cluster.

"The accident involved an icemaker who was struck by a forerunner bob near the braking zone after a warning signal had been given to clear the track."

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