What would the Olympics be without controversies? Judging scandals, sure. But those have gotten pretty boring. This year, we have something better: a scandal in the genteel world of curling. In a match between Canada and Sweden, a Canadian curler was accused of cheating by pushing the stone with his finger after letting it go. Accused by a Swede, the Canadian told him to “f*ck off.” The officials apparently did nothing.
There are several videos, but this one perhaps shows it best:
My friend and colleague Bill Walsh curls weekly at the St. Paul Curling Club. I asked his opinion of the controversy, and got this illuminating reply:
This looks really bad from a curling perspective. Curling and golf are the only two major sports…
No comment.
…where the players police themselves. It truly is a gentlemen’s game. At high levels of competition like the Olympics, they do use technology to make sure the player releases the stone from his hand before it crosses the hog line. Controlling the stone past the hog line gives you an advantage. In league play, if we think someone’s holding on too long, one of us will casually stand on or near the hog line to keep them honest. It rarely happens.
In the Olympics, there is a sensor on the line and in the handle of the stone. A light on the handle will flash if it isn’t released on time.
The Canadian players were accused of releasing the handle, before the hog line, but then touching the granite part of the stone with a finger. Like an extra little push or adjustment. While the rules allow you to release and regrip the handle before the hog line, you cannot release the handle and touch another part of the stone.
If a stone is touched after release, it is considered “burned” and must be taken out of play immediately. Sometimes when sweeping a player inadvertently touches the stone with their broom. If that happens, they immediately stop the stone with their foot. You call the penalty on yourself, much like golf.
The video I saw looks like a violation. It’s embarrassing for the Canadian team.
It will be interesting to see whether an apology is forthcoming from the Canadians.
