Because athletes push the limits of speed and physiological capacity during competition, there are times when sudden death of an athlete will occur. Tragically, Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luge competitor, lost his life during a practice run preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympic games.

Kumaritashvili was rounding turn 16 when he lost control and was catapulted out of the track. He hit a steel beam at a speed of approximately 90 mph. Although the emergency medical team did everything possible, his injuries were too severe and they were unable to save him.

Unfortunately, catastrophic events like this one occur in the world of sports. The difficult aspect for teammates is to process and cope with the tragedy and have the ability and the tools to emotionally heal so that they can move forward and continue to compete.

According to Gorse, K., Blanc, R., Feld, F., & Radelet, M. (2010), athletes may experience psychological trauma if they encountered a situation that caused feelings of “fear, helplessness, or horror”. Being involved in or witnessing a traumatic event could result in the athlete experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD).

Athletes who have been catastrophically injured or who have witnessed a catastrophic injury may experience a number of symptoms associated with PSTD including:

If these symptoms occur for more than one month following a traumatic event, the individual may be suffering from PSTD and may need professional help to work through the psychological trauma.

It is interesting to note that although a number of individuals may witness a traumatic event, not all will experience PSTD. The way an individual reacts to a distressing event is unique to the individual and is dependent on a number of risk factors including education, family history, psychological history, and social support.

Even with a good understanding of PSTD, the researchers cannot explain why a significant portion of individuals experience little effect after traumatic events. However, the research has identified three characteristics of individuals who successfully cope with traumatic events. These include hardiness, self-enhancement, and the presence of positive emotion.

Hardiness is defined as “confidence, positive attitude, the ability to use social support and active coping, and the capacity to see difficult situations as less threatening” (Gorse, K., Blanc, R., Feld, F., & Radelet, M., 2010). It is interesting to note that elite athletes have been found to have higher levels of hardiness as compared to lower-level athletes.

Another characteristic found in elite athletes is that they have been found to respond to stressful situations in a more positive, calm, and confident manner as compared to their peers. These types of athletes may be more prepared than others to experience physical and/or emotional trauma without suffering from psychological trauma.

Self-enhancement is the ability to view oneself in a positive fashion. Because of their positive outlook on situations, athletes with this characteristic experience less stress, use social networks for support more effectively, and adjust easier after negative events.

The presence of positive emotion including laughter and social support can counteract negative emotions. A social network of friends, teammates, and family who can encourage and uplift the individual is a key component of helping the athlete to heal and survive tragedy.

If an individual is experiencing symptoms of PSTD, it may be time for crisis intervention. The goal of crisis intervention is to ensure the safety of the individual, assess the individual’s personal and interpersonal resources, and coordinate referrals to specialized treatment providers.

Although sudden death is fairly common in the world of sports, there has not been a lot of research about how to provide emotional support for the coaches, teammates, and athletic staff after the death of an athlete. It is clear that the crisis intervention needs to begin immediately after the death of an athlete with opportunities for frequent intervention as needed for those athletes that have been affected most.

Coaches can assist in the healing process as well by honoring the deceased athlete in a number of tangible ways throughout the season including:

Healing happens when individuals who have been traumatized are allowed to grieve in their own way, heal in their own time frame, express their emotions in a safe environment, and are allowed to honor their fallen teammate in a way that is respectful to the athlete’s family all in an environment of love and support provided by their family, friends, and teammates.

Kumaritashvili’s teammate, Levan Gureshidze , decided to pull out of the Winter Olympic luge competition because he is in “complete shock” (Associated Press, Olympians Slide with Heavy Hearts, February 12, 2010). He needs to be free to make that decision. Other teammates will continue to compete. They also need to feel free to make those decisions. Either way, these young athletes need time and support to heal so that each can move forward.

Gorse, K., Blanc, R., Feld, F., & Radelet, M. (2010). Emergency Care in Athletic Training. F.A. Davis: Philadelphia, PA

NBC Olympics (February 12, 2010). Olympics Slide with Heavy Hearts. http://www.nbcolympics.com.