Controversy is swirling in curling on the Winter Olympics and it’s all centering on whether or not the mighty Canadian group is dishonest.
Each males’s and girls’s groups have now been accused of the identical infraction: double-touching the curling stone after it’s launched.
It comes because the historic curling powerhouse finds its ego bruised. Its blended doubles group didn’t even play for a medal, and its girls’s group can not afford to lose extra matches in the event that they hope to advance.
Right here’s a take a look at the entire controversy and why it has exploded:
What occurred on the curling heart in Cortina
On Friday, Swedish roller Oskar Eriksson accused Canadian roller Marc Kennedy of breaking the principles by touching the rock once more after initially releasing it down the sheet of ice. Kennedy blew up, launching an expletive-laden outburst.
That was earlier than video showing to point out a transparent double-touch by Kennedy circulated on social media, taken by Swedish public broadcaster SVT. Nonetheless, he maintained his innocence. The Canadians received the match, 8-6.
Late Saturday, an umpire accused acclaimed Canadian skip Rachel Homan of the identical infraction in Canada’s match towards Switzerland. The umpire stopped play and the stone was faraway from play. Homan regarded shocked and denied the allegation.
Once more, video unfold on social media showing to point out her double-touch. The Canadians misplaced to the Swiss, 8-7.
Sweden accused Canada’s Marc Kennedy of illegally touching his stone throughout a heated Olympic match. Right here’s what to find out about what occurred and the way World Curling responded.
There are guidelines towards double-touching
After the uproar, World Curling clarified that double-tapping isn’t allowed, issuing a press release: “Throughout ahead movement, touching the granite of the stone isn’t allowed. It will end result within the stone being faraway from play.”
Here’s what the Canadians say
Requested in regards to the footage, Kennedy mentioned: “If any person mentioned to you, ‘Hey, do you double-touch on a regular basis?’ I truthfully, in that cut up second of a second, I couldn’t even let you know if I do or not.”
He then prompt the entire thing might need been “premeditated planning to attempt to catch us.”
“They’ve provide you with a plan to catch groups within the act,” Kennedy mentioned.
Homan, in the meantime, postulated that she was being unfairly focused due to the controversy on the lads’s facet.
“I don’t perceive the decision. I’ll by no means perceive it. We’ve by no means carried out that,” she mentioned. “It has nothing to do with us.”
Why that is such an enormous story
As fierce because the competitors could be, curling has a quiet camaraderie to it regardless that there have been scandals (see: Broomgate, a sweeping-related headache that World Curling believes it solved final June). So it stands out when there are allegations of dishonest.
Canada can also be the highest nation in curling, simply its largest market and the place the most important non-Olympic competitions are likely to happen. They’re taking it personally that their integrity is coming underneath assault in entrance of a world viewers on the Olympics, which touts the values of respect and friendship.
The athletes taking part in for Canada and Sweden was once shut off the ice – large rivals, positive, however admiring of one another’s curling expertise. Now there’s clear animosity between the groups, which is intriguing for the informal viewer however a tragic blow to the curling group.
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What’s subsequent
Canada’s curlers are the place they don’t wish to be in the course of a Winter Olympics: on the again foot, not simply questioning their method – “We’ll make some changes, release-wise, if we’ve to,” Kennedy mentioned – but additionally scrambling to be within the combine for medals on the finish of the week.
Kennedy had the worst shot at success of Canada’s 4 gamers in its solely sport Saturday, in line with match statistics. Canada misplaced 9-5 to Switzerland, a group it was anticipated to beat.
All eyes are on each groups now. The Canadian males wouldn’t face Sweden once more earlier than the semifinals, ought to each groups make it, and that might be must-see TV, whether or not you’re a curling fan or not.
