Team GB Curlers Caught in Double-Touch Controversy After Canada Cheating Row
Team GB's curling squad has become embroiled in the ongoing 'double touch' scandal that has rocked the Winter Olympics, with Bobby Lammie penalised during a match against Germany on Sunday. This incident follows heightened surveillance by officials after a fierce cheating dispute involving Canada's team on Friday.
Increased Official Surveillance Following Canadian Controversy
The controversy began when World Curling directed two umpires to monitor all four matches during each round, following dramatic accusations during Friday's Canada versus Sweden match. Swedish curler Oskar Eriksson repeatedly accused Canadian opponent Marc Kennedy of cheating by double-touching stones, sparking a furious reaction captured on broadcast.
'I haven't done it once,' Kennedy shouted in a wild outburst. 'You can f*** off.'
The double-touching issue then crossed into women's curling when Canada's Rachel Homan had her stone removed after officials ruled she touched it again after releasing the handle.
Team GB's Penalty During Germany Match
During the ninth end of Team GB's round robin match against Germany, Bobby Lammie was adjudged to have touched a stone after releasing it down the ice. An umpire intervened, removing Lammie's stone from play and instructing British skip Bruce Mouat to return a German stone to its previous position.
Lammie appeared visibly surprised after being informed of the offence. 'The judge has burned a stone, it [the German stone] has been put back,' said BBC commentator Steve Cram.
Co-commentator Jackie Lockhart, a former GB Olympic curler, expressed disbelief: 'Not again.' One of the German curlers was heard asking the umpire whether a double touch had occurred.
Commentators Question Consistency of Officiating
Cram highlighted concerns about inconsistent monitoring: 'The dark shadowy figures had come back down again and there is one down at the hog line. If they are going to do that you need to be consistent. Not all the matches have one.'
Lockhart clarified the rules while defending Lammie: 'I thought I heard the umpire say a double touch, but you can touch the handle as many times as you want before it hits the hog line. But you can't touch the granite of the stone, but I am not sure that is something Bobby would do.'
She advised the team: 'The guys just have to park that, you can't let that get to you. You have to play your shots.'
Lighter Moments Amid Controversy
Despite the tension, Cram and Lockhart found humour in the situation as Britain led 7-4. Cram joked about the umpire: 'The umpire is still standing there, he is like one of those scary statues in Doctor Who, he is still standing there stoically, beady eyed.'
Despite the penalty, Team GB ultimately scored two in the end, with the teams shaking hands to confirm a 9-4 victory for Mouat's squad.
Updated Monitoring Protocol Implemented
World Curling issued updated guidance following a meeting with National Olympic Committee representatives. Beginning with Sunday evening's session, the two umpires who had been actively monitoring all deliveries will now only monitor at the request of competing teams.
The new protocol states umpires will monitor deliveries for a minimum of three ends when requested, marking a significant shift from the previous blanket surveillance approach implemented after Friday's controversies.
This change represents an attempt to balance fair play with competitive flow, as the double-touch controversy continues to dominate Olympic curling discussions.
