The double-touch curling controversy at the Winter Olympics just reached a whole new level.
Canada’s Rachel Homan had her first stone removed for a rules violation called by officials while facing Switzerland in the first end on Saturday.
The skip couldn’t believe it.
“Like absolutely not,” Homan said on mics picked up by the broadcast. “Zero per cent chance (she double-touched the rock).”
The officials kept insisting she did.
“I’ve never done it in my life,” said Homan.
Eventually the rock was pulled off the ice by the officials. Homan was left an open draw for one with her last stone and made the draw.
She had words for the same officials afterwards.
“It’s the same throw as my (first) one, it’s unreal.”
Canada went on to a costly 8-7 loss in an extra end, dropping Team Homan’s record to 1-3.
“Yeah it’s frustrating, the officials getting into the game that they have no business getting into, and, yeah, it’s frustrating when there’s nothing to even look for,” Homan told CBC Olympics after the loss. “Obviously it rattles you and we fought hard and we lost in an extra by one point. It’s just a shame that had to happen.”
“They said I touched the stone after I let it go, which is so far from the truth, it’s crazy.,” she continued. “Just making something up, I don’t know. We have the Maple Leaf on our back, I’m not sure.”
The disagreement happened less than 24 hours after the heated exchange between Canada’s Team Brad Jacobs and Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin on Friday.
Edin’s third Oskar Eriksson accused Jacobs’ third Marc Kennedy of double-touching the stone. After multiple conversations with the officials, and nothing resulting from it, Eriksson went at Kennedy after the ninth end.
They got into a heated exchange that blew up the curling world.
As a result, World Curling released a statement on Saturday.
“During forward motion, touching the granite of the stone is not allowed. This will result in the stone being removed from play.”
Rule R.5 (d) of the rule book states:“The curling stone must be delivered using the handle of the stone.”
Violation of this rule results in the stone being removed from play.