Olympics notebook
Published 5:29 pm Thursday, February 18, 2010
19 hurt as barricade collapses at concert
VANCOUVER, B.C. — A surging crowd of Olympic partygoers caused a barricade to collapse during a free concert, leaving 19 people injured.
Nine people were taken to the hospital for further evaluation, Vancouver officials and Olympic organizers said. One person may have a broken leg. The city said all those injured were treated at the scene in the onsite medical facility.
About 7,000 people were at LiveCity Yaletown on Tuesday night for a concert by the Canadian band Alexisonfire. A section of the barricade gave way midway into the first song, according to a statement from the City of Vancouver.
The band stopped playing immediately and asked fans to step back. The rest of the concert was called off.
“Everyone acted quickly, professionally, and took appropriate action,” City Manager Penny Ballem said. “The security and onsite emergency medical response teams provided immediate assistance and care, the band kept people calm and the crowd dispersed safely.”
Live Nation, the concert producer, has used similar barricades at concerts for more than 20 years and this was the first time such a thing happened, the city said.
About those costumes
VANCOUVER, B.C. — World champion ice dancers Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin aren’t saying if they’ve made any changes to the Aboriginal-themed original dance that has angered some Australian leaders.
Asked about rumors the Russians have changed their costumes and music, Shabalin was coy.
“Maybe, maybe,” he said after Wednesday’s practice. “You will hear, you will see on the day of the original dance.”
Some Australian aboriginal leaders have said Domnina and Shabalin’s original dance is offensive cultural theft, with inauthentic steps and gaudy costumes. The music includes a didgeridoo riff, and Domnina and Shabalin wear brown-toned costumes adorned with leaves and white Aboriginal-style markings.
In the original dance, couples can create any kind of dance that falls within an assigned theme. This year’s theme is country/folk, and skaters are doing routines to everything from Indian music to country-western to a Japanese fan dance.
“Two years ago, when we had the folk dance, 70 percent did it to Russian or Ukrainian music. It was like a competition of Russian dance or Ukrainian dance,” Shabalin said. “We thought (the Aboriginal theme) would be interesting, and we like this. We like the way they dance and their costumes.”
Shabalin said he and Domnina and their coaches did a lot of research before creating the dance. They were surprised when it caused such a furor, and Shabalin said they went back and did more research, including talking with specialists in Aboriginal dance.
The flame, the flame
VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Olympic flame is finally open to the public.
Organizers of the Vancouver Games have opened a viewing ramp to bring visitors closer to the Olympic cauldron and allow them to take unobstructed photographs. Hundreds of people are already lining up.
A chain-link fence around the flame was also moved closer Wednesday, and a 6-inch-wide strip was cut into it for people taking pictures from ground level. The cauldron is along the Vancouver waterfront.
Olympic organizers initially drew criticism for making the flame inaccessible to the public. It was one of a series of glitches that have marred the opening days of the Winter Games.
Miller will be in goal
VANCOUVER, B.C. — U.S. men’s hockey coach Ron Wilson said Ryan Miller will be in the nets for every game at the Olympics unless something “drastic” occurs.
Miller, the Buffalo Sabres’ star goalie, was hardly tested Tuesday when the Americans opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland. Miller finished with 14 saves. The only goal he allowed caromed in off his stick as he blocked a pass attempt.
Associated Press
