Sour start to Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics officially opened on Friday but the day was overshadowed by the tragic death of a Georgian luger in a horrific crash.

With flags at half-mast in honour of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge reminded all athletes of their responsibility as role models.

Organisers were faced with their worst nightmare when Kumaritashvili died earlier in the day after flying off the Olympic luge track at high speed and smashing into a metal pillar during a training run.