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WHISTLER, Canada : Switzerland's Olympic bobsleigh hopes suffered a double setback on Friday as the widely-criticised Whistler Sliding Centre claimed two more injury victims.
Brakeman Juerg Egger will miss the two-man bob after he suffered a spinal injury in Friday's official training, team doctor Christian Schlegel revealed.
"He was brought to Vancouver by helicopter for further observation. He has a cervical spine injury. He can walk, he has no motor function disruption," said Schlegel.
Fellow Swiss hope Beat Hefti was also forced to withdraw after suffering concussion in a crash during Wednesday's accident-plagued training session.
"Beat Hefti has a head injury and is not able to compete in the two-man bobsleigh," said Schlegel.
"The prognosis is very difficult. We'll have to re-evaluate him each day. Beat Hefti suffered from bruises across his body and a concussion in the crash."
Hefti won bronze medals with Martin Annen in the two- and four-man events in the Turin Olympics four years ago and also won a two-man bronze in 2002.
The Whistler track has been widely condemned as too dangerous following the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili who was killed in a high-speed training crash last Friday.
Various modifications were made to improve safety, but on Wednesday there were eight spectacular bobsleigh crashes before the International Luge Federation (ILF) announced a full inquiry into the venue would be held after the Games.
Despite the problems, an International Bobsleigh Federation spokesman this week pointed out that other Games have had their fair share of crashes.
"At Park City in 2002 (for the Salt Lake City Games), there were 17 crashes in the first run of training," he said.
"It's not untypical - there were not very many teams that were not holding back at the start.
- AFP/vm
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