Rom (pps) Josef Fendt, President of the International Luge Federation, FIL, has emphasised the importance of the applications for admission of luge events on natural tracks and team events (artificial tracks) into the Olympic programme by a visit with the Chairman of the IOC Olympic Programme Commission, Italy’s Franco Carraro, in Rome. The applications for admission with regard to the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver were submitted in due time at the beginning of January.

“During our amicable discussions we were able to further explain our request and to recommend it warmly to the IOC”, explained Josef Fendt. “But I would like to caution against euphoria at this early stage”, he continued. “We still have a long way to go. However, we can always be sure that we have tried our utmost in order to have luge events on natural tracks and the team event admitted into the Olympic Programme.”