Team GB's Curling Medal Hopes Dwindle After Controversial Canadian Defeat
Team GB's aspirations for a curling medal at the Winter Olympics are now hanging by a thread after a crucial 9-5 loss to Canada on Tuesday. The Canadian team, which has been at the centre of a cheating row and verbal controversy throughout the Games, delivered a decisive blow to Britain's semi-final prospects.
Controversy Surrounds Canadian Team
The match against Canada came just days after significant drama involving the North American side. Last Friday, a curling match between Canada and Sweden descended into chaos following a fierce dispute over allegations of double-touching stones. Sweden's Oskar Eriksson repeatedly accused Canadian opponent Marc Kennedy of cheating, claiming he was double-touching the stones.
This accusation triggered a furious reaction from Kennedy, who was captured on the SVT broadcast shouting, 'I haven't done it once. You can f*** off.' Just twenty-four hours later, the Canadian curling team faced similar accusations from Switzerland, further fuelling the controversy.
Understanding the Double-Touch Rule
In curling, a double touch by the person delivering the stone prior to the hog line—where the stone must be released—is not considered a violation. However, if a touch occurs inside the hog line, it incurs an infraction. This technicality has been at the heart of the allegations against the Canadian team.
GB's Valiant Effort Falls Short
Despite a valiant effort on Tuesday, Team GB could not overcome the Canadian squad, with Kennedy part of the victorious team. Canada raced into an early lead, but GB fought back impressively and were actually leading after the fifth end. However, Canada's strength ultimately told, leaving GB highly unlikely to reach the semi-finals, a stark contrast to their silver medal achievement four years ago.
This defeat compounds Team GB's struggles, following a shock 8-6 loss to Norway on Monday. As world champions, they have now lost four of their eight games, though they do have a final fixture against the USA scheduled for Wednesday at 13:05 GMT.
Official Responses and Apologies
In the wake of Friday's drama, Curling Canada released a statement addressing both the cheating allegations and Kennedy's foul-mouthed outburst on television. 'During the game, officials were called to the field of play and closely monitored for any release rule infractions, including those involving touching the granite following a complaint by Team Sweden,' the statement reads. 'After three ends of careful observation, no hogline violations or stone retouches were found by the officials.'
The statement also noted that the Canadian men's team received a verbal warning for language used during the game, with Curling Canada affirming its support for fair play, respect, and sportsmanship. World Curling echoed this, stating that game umpires observed for three ends and recorded no violations.
Kennedy apologised for his language on Saturday, admitting his emotions got the better of him. 'I probably could've handled myself better in the moment,' he told CBC. 'I know I'm a role model for Canadian curlers, so if I apologise at all, it's to the young curlers around the country that would've expected more from me in that moment.'
Fallout Extends to Family
The controversy has had personal repercussions, with reports on Monday indicating that Kennedy's wife had been subjected to online abuse. Curling Canada CEO Nolan Thiessen told CBC, 'There has been some offside stuff that has come to (Kennedy's) wife's social media, which is c***. These guys are human beings, and their families need to be left out of it.'
As Team GB prepares for their final match, the curling event at the Winter Olympics continues to be overshadowed by these disputes, highlighting the intense pressures and emotions at play in elite sport.
