Sochowicz has undergone knee surgery after hitting a barrier during a training run at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre.

The 25-year-old, who competed at Pyeongchang 2018, cut his right leg to the bone in the accident and was taken to hospital.

Sochowicz alleged the track team "showed great incompetence" in responding to the crash, which he said would have been worse had he not sought evasive action to try and avoid a closed barrier.

Juan Antonio Samaranch, the head of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Coordination Commission for Beijing 2022, said the International Luge Federation (FIL) and organisers were investigating the incident "very seriously".

"I got the green light so I moved on," Sochowicz told the Onet web portal.

"For the first time, I was able to calmly ride these two difficult bends. Suddenly, however, I saw a closed gate on the track.

"I then let the sled out from under me and took the position like a downhill skier.

"I was hoping that at this speed I would be able to jump over the barrier. 

"However, everything was happening too fast and I didn't have time to bounce.

"That's why my legs are broken, not the rest of my body. 

"If I hadn't reacted, it could have resulted in a tragedy."

Sochowicz added: "They didn't know what to do at all. 

"Someone came to me and tried to touch my [exposed] bone with a glove. 

"Dante-esque scenes were happening there."

The FIL confirmed Sochowicz had been involved in a training accident at the track, set to be the venue for all luge, bobsleigh and skeleton at Beijing 2022.

Samaranch admitted there would be lessons learned from the incident and there was "plenty of time" to implement them in time for the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony on February 4.

"We have expressed all our sympathy and support for the athlete, it is a most unfortunate situation," he said.

"Together with FIL, the Organising Committee and Polish NOC, we are discussing how we can be as supportive as possible.

"The track and the circumstances under which this accident happened are being investigated both by the FIL and the Organising Committee very seriously.

"If there are lessons to be learned – which there probably will be – we will implement them and have plenty of time to implement them.

"We need to wait now to see how the investigation goes."  

The senior IOC official added the track at the venue had received "extremely good marks for its safety and its quality" in recent tests.

Sochowicz added that he was hopeful he could still compete at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, scheduled to open on February 4, but admitted returning to the scene of the crash would be traumatic.

"I hope to start in Beijing," he said. 

"If the FIL gave me a wildcard and I could focus only on recovery, maybe there would be a chance.

"However, there is a bigger problem. 

"I don't know if I will be able to rebuild mentally. 

"I don't know if I will ever be able to go on this track, I would be afraid that something might be waiting for me just around the corner." 

Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia was killed during a training accident on the day of the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony.

Kumaritashvili lost control of his sled during the final turn on the Vancouver 2010 track at Whistler.

The track was described as too fast and too dangerous by some officials and competitors.