The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics has experienced its lot in the number of spills and thrills. The first was the death of competitor Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvilli who crashed on a practise run at Whistler.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/winter-olympics/7246416/Winter-Olympics-2010-Body-of-Olympic-luge-athlete-Nodar-Kumaritashvili-is-flown-home.html
As a result the International Luge Federation have shortened the Winter Olympic Luge course. The original course had come in for a lot of criticism.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26721008-5002332,00.html
Then there have been community concerns over an expected influx of sex workers in Vancouver.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+Olympics+failing+curb+trafficking+group/2543007/story.html
Then the Australians voiced their concerns over judging errors when their hopeful, a former Canadian finished with the Silver in the freestyle ski.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26727155-5002332,00.html
Any and every Olympic Games, be it Winter or Summer has its share of drama. With the slow motion replays from various different angles, it is not too difficult today to ascertain whether a judging error has occurred.
Even on rather subjective judging such as the freestyle ski events where slow motion replays cans shows the 'turns on the bumps' skills and speed angles, it all becomes a drama where one competitor is pipped by a fraction.
Then take the Ice Hockey where it is legitimate to crash into a competitor against the wall in pursuit of the puck. Any of the ice hockey Winter Olympic matches reveals the skills of those who can engage in such 'legitimacy'.
Then there are the magnificent routines on the ice. Who cannot but be enthralled as the ice skaters go through their numbers. Here too the judging is analysed by the commentators and the slow motion replays pick up every slight error of judging.
There is always good news too. There are Winter Olympic chaplains who comfort those who are devastated with the rigours of competition and all that this entails. One group of chaplains are based in Vancouver City and the other group is at the Whistler Resort.
Last February this writer and his wife Delma met with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics officials to consult on the Religious Services and were very pleased to find that preparations were in place with a great team led by the Reverend David Wells.
http://au.christiantoday.com/article/vancouver-winter-olympics/7538.htm