Olympic curling row forces officials to retreat after Canada allegations

A controversy over alleged rule-breaking by Canadian curlers has pushed World Curling to reverse a sudden clampdown on officiating during the Winter Olympics, exposing tensions between the sport’s tradition of self-regulation in curling (a precision ice sport where teams slide granite stones toward a target using sweeping and strategy) and stricter enforcement at the highest level of competition.

The dispute began when Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson accused Canada’s Marc Kennedy of illegally touching a stone after releasing it past the hog line , a violation known as a “double-touch.” World Curling responded by placing umpires closer to the ice to monitor matches. Within a day, officials penalized two players, including Canada’s Rachel Homan , removing their stones from play, a step considered rare in elite competition .

The penalties angered athletes and coaches, prompting an emergency meeting with national federations. World Curling then withdrew the extra umpires and returned to its usual system. Nolan Thiessen, CEO of Curling Canada , said players wanted to finish the Olympics according to curling’s long-standing “spirit of the game,” which relies on honesty and self-officiating.

Several athletes argued that double-touch violations are usually accidental and were blown out of proportion under Olympic pressure. While no formal ruling of deliberate cheating has been made, the episode has raised questions about how strictly rules should be enforced as curling becomes more professional and globally visible.