Winter Olympics Curling Cheating Scandal Prompts Rule Change U-Turn with Players Furious
The officiating in the curling at the Winter Olympics has been branded a "disaster" by one player after the authorities made changes to try and combat alleged cheating, only to reverse them following furious protestations. The curling competition in Cortina has been dogged by accusations of double touching, creating significant tension and prompting action from the sport's governing body.
Controversial Incidents Spark Outrage
Accusations of double touching have dominated the event, starting with a fiery dispute between Canada and Sweden last week. Canada star Marc Kennedy found himself at the centre of the storm after allegedly touching his stones after release. Sweden made their feelings clear, with Kennedy responding by telling his opponent to "f*** off".
Further incidents have since occurred, with Team GB having a stone removed due to an alleged double touch. These controversies caught World Curling off guard and forced immediate changes to the way matches were umpired, highlighting the escalating nature of the scandal.
Rapid Rule Changes and Swift Reversal
On Saturday, the governing body ordered two umpires to actively observe deliveries and detect potential release infringements. However, by Sunday evening, they had changed their minds again following a meeting with unhappy Olympic Committees. World Curling said in a statement:
"Following a meeting with representatives of the competing National Olympic Committees, an update in the stone monitoring protocol has been confirmed, beginning with the evening session on Sunday 15 February."
This change in protocol will see the two umpires who had previously been actively monitoring athlete deliveries remain available in the field of play, but will now only monitor deliveries at the request of the competing teams. The umpires, when requested, will monitor deliveries for a minimum of three ends, marking a significant shift in approach.
Clarification of Rules and Player Backlash
World Curling had previously been forced to issue a statement clarifying the rules. They stated that a stone must be clearly released from the hand before it reaches the hog line at the delivery end. If the player fails to do so, the stone is immediately removed from play by the delivering team.
The furore, which started with Kennedy's alleged offences, has dominated discussion around the sport, and players are not happy. Canadian captain Brad Jacobs launched a scathing attack on the officials over the weekend, calling the changes "despicable".
"All of a sudden mid-week when you see umpires come out that are not trained to do what they're doing and are pulling rocks out of games as if they're burnt stones, that's a disaster," he said.
Canada coach Paul Webster was absolutely fuming too, emphasizing the gravity of the situation: "We're not at some bonspiel in Saskatchewan just trying things out, we're at the Olympics."
The scandal has underscored the intense pressure and high stakes at the Winter Olympics, with players demanding better officiating and clearer protocols to maintain the integrity of the sport.
