Swiss bobsled athlete Sandro Michel is currently recovering from emergency surgery after a training crash that has raised concerns about the safety and appropriateness of participating in upcoming World Cup races this weekend. The incident occurred during a training session in Altenberg, Germany when Michel, serving as the brakeman in a four-man sled piloted by Michael Vogt, was thrown from his seat due to the crash.
Michel suffered severe injuries to his leg, hip, thigh, and chest and lost consciousness upon impact. As a result of the severity of his injuries, he was swiftly airlifted to a hospital in Dresden, roughly 75 miles away from the crash site. The exact speed at which the sled was traveling when the accident took place remains unknown, but during training sessions on the same day, some sleds were reportedly reaching speeds of approximately 80 mph.
The aftermath of the crash has left athletes from various countries deeply shaken. In response, plans are being put in place for a meeting on Friday to address safety concerns, particularly the absence of measures to prevent the sled from sliding back toward Michel following the crash. Despite the incident, training is set to continue as scheduled for the remainder of the week, and the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has affirmed that the races will proceed as planned over the weekend.
However, some athletes, such as British bobsledder Greg Cackett, have voiced their reservations and are calling for the cancellation of the races. Cackett took to social media to express his concern, stating that he would not feel comfortable competing under such circumstances and advocating for allowing the Swiss team time to recover and for discussions to take place regarding track safety protocols.
The upcoming races in Altenberg are the final World Cup events prior to the bobsled and skeleton world championships, scheduled to take place later this month in Winterberg, Germany. Therefore, the incident has sparked broader conversations regarding safety standards in sliding sports.
The Swiss team released a statement expressing their sadness over the accident, wishing a speedy recovery to Michel, Vogt, and the other affected team members. The team also revealed that Vogt had suffered a severe concussion and bruises, while push athletes Dominik Hufschmid and Andreas Haas sustained minor injuries. The decision regarding the team's participation in the remaining training sessions and weekend races has been left to the discretion of the other Swiss teams present in Altenberg.
Safety has long been a significant focal point in sliding sports, with past incidents serving as potent reminders of the risks involved. These include the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run prior to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Canadian bobsledder Chris Spring crashing into the roof of the Altenberg track and suffering severe puncture wounds in 2012, and a recent incident in which Polish luger Mateusz Sochowicz was severely injured after crashing into an unexplained metal gate blocking the track during a training run in China in 2021.
Vogt and Michel are an experienced team, having achieved fourth place in the two-man bobsled event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and securing a bronze medal at the world championships last year. Their partnership also saw them win a World Cup race in December, placing them third in the season-long standings. Vogt's four-man bob crew is currently ranked fourth in the discipline's World Cup standings.
As the bobsled and skeleton community grapples with the aftermath of this unfortunate incident, the focus on safety remains paramount. The upcoming meeting aims to address concerns and ensure that adequate measures are in place to prioritize the well-being of the athletes. The world championships in Winterberg and the final World Cup weekend in Lake Placid, New York, will provide opportunities to further evaluate and enhance safety protocols, with the aim of preventing similar accidents and protecting the lives and livelihoods of the athletes who compete in these high-speed winter sports.
