Curling Controversy Rocks Winter Olympics: Double-Touching Accusations Fly

The curling competitions at the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, are facing a growing controversy over accusations of athletes illegally “double-touching” stones during release. The issue escalated Sunday with a ruling against Great Britain, adding to concerns already raised about the Canadian teams.

British Stone Removed in Match Against Germany

During Britain’s round-robin game against Germany, Scottish curler Bobby Lammie had a stone removed after officials determined he had touched it after releasing it. This represents against the rules, and Britain ultimately won the match 9-4.

Controversy Originated with Canada

The controversy began Friday night when Sweden’s men’s team accused their Canadian opponents of the infraction. A day later, a stone was removed from the Canadian women’s match against Switzerland. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show both Canadian curlers double-touching the rocks, but both teams denied wrongdoing.

“What happened with [Homan’s] rock was despicable,” said Canadian men’s captain Brad Jacobs. “I felt immediately as Canadian curlers we were targeted. To go out and pull her rock like that, I think it was a tragedy.”

Brad Jacobs, Canadian Men’s Curling Captain

World Curling Adjusts Officiating

In response to the escalating concerns, World Curling initially directed two umpires to monitor each round of matches. But, the federation reversed course Sunday night, announcing that umpires would now be available at teams’ request, but would not proactively monitor games.

Canadian Concerns Over Officiating

Canadian coach Paul Webster questioned the preparedness of the additional officials.

“I think ​we have untrained people doing things ⁠that they’ve never done before,” he said. “I ⁠have a lot of respect for people ​that are here volunteering their time but we’re not at some bonspiel in Saskatchewan just trying things out, we’re at the Olympics.”

Paul Webster, Canadian Curling Coach

Jacobs expressed a different sentiment regarding Lammie’s situation, stating: If he threw that rock ​that way against us, personally I would never ever want that rock to be removed. He did nothing wrong in my opinion. He also noted it was great that the issue wasn’t solely focused on the Canadian team.

Debate Over Video Replay

The controversy has sparked a debate about implementing video replay in curling. Some, like Sweden’s Johanna Heldin, believe it could disrupt the flow of the game, while others, such as Tara Peterson of the United States, would absolutely support its use.

FAQ

• What is “double-touching”? This proves against the rules to touch a stone after releasing it during delivery.
• Which teams have been affected? Both the Canadian and British teams have had stones removed due to alleged double-touching.
• Has World Curling changed its officiating approach? Yes, they initially added umpires but then made them available only upon request.

The situation remains fluid as the Winter Olympics continue. The debate over fair play and the role of officiating will likely continue to be a central theme in the curling competitions.