And you can probably still picture the dramatic scene of a skier crashing at the end of a run. Air bag technology may have ameliorated that unfortunate athlete’s injuries. Herndon athlete’s lawyer Doug Landau remembers, even at a very young age, being impressed with the dangers of extreme winter sports like downhill skiing, ski jumping and bobsled.  In the 1970’s, who would have thought technology would one day exist to protect athletes in the event of a serious crash? Lawyer Landau is concerned, however, that while remarkable, the improvements in equipment are not enough.  Instead, more money and research needs to be dedicated to improving the safety of the sport itself to lessen the incidence of dangerous crashes in the first place. “It is heartbreaking to see an athlete invest four years of time, effort and training, only to have it go for naught because of a traumatic injury that could have been prevented with current technology and sports equipment”  adds Landau.  Hoping that these quadrennial games are not marred by catastrophic or permanent injury, Landau would rather they be remembered for the high level of competition and the laudable Olympic spirit.