Olympic Curling Set for Major Rule Change After Cheating Row

Olympic curling could be in line for a significant rules adjustment following the controversy involving Canada and Sweden at this year’s Winter Games. The sport’s governing bodies are now reportedly reviewing delivery regulations after accusations of “double-touching” sparked debate over technology, interpretation and fair play.

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The flashpoint came during Canada’s tense round-robin clash with Sweden, when Swedish players alleged that Canada’s Marc Kennedy made additional contact with his stone after release. The hog line sensor showed nothing untoward, but critics pointed to subtle touches after release that weren’t being picked up.

Because of the incident, officials are giving thought to making some rule changes that might involve the introduction of extra monitoring systems.

Technology Under Scrutiny

Under current Olympic regulations, each curling stone is fitted with a handle sensor. The system confirms whether the player releases the handle before the hog line. A green light indicates a legal release; red signals a fault.
The potential changes relate to less ambiguous rulebook wording, as well as possible upgrades to the current technology being used, to eliminate grey areas.

The Spirit of the Game

Curling has a long and proud record of sportsmanship across all of its competitions, so disputes are very rare. Direct accusations of cheating are even less common. That made the confrontation between the two sides particularly striking. Any formal changes would come via the World Curling Federation and in consultation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

It could be that they increase the level of video review scrutiny or refinements in the wording around stone delivery laws. The controversy has thrown a shadow over the sport, and the feeling is that it needs to be dealt with swiftly and decisively so as to avoid any future competitions being affected in the same way.