Curling controversy erupts at Winter Olympic Games

A dispute over alleged rule violations has become the focal point of the curling competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The controversy started last week after Swedish competitors alleged that players on Canada’s men’s curling team illegally made contact with a stone after releasing it. Officials refer to the infraction as a “double-touch,” which is not allowed once the stone has begun moving down the ice.

During a round-robin match Friday night, a Canadian curler denied the allegation after Swedish competitor Oskar Eriksson raised the issue on the ice. The exchange included an expletive-laden response from the Canadian player, who insisted he had done nothing wrong.

Although the Canadian men went on to win that game 8–6, the incident sparked broader scrutiny across the curling venue. Videos showing possible double-touch actions circulated widely on social media, further fueling debate about technique and enforcement.

The controversy expanded on Saturday when an umpire in Canada’s women’s match against Switzerland determined that a similar double-touch had occurred. In that contest, a stone thrown by Canadian skip Rachel Homan was removed from play amid dispute and protest, and the Swiss secured an 8–7 victory.

Homan and her teammates expressed surprise at the call, challenging how it was made and questioning whether similar motions by other competitors went unnoticed.

A stone thrown by a British men’s team member was also removed from play for double-touching, demonstrating that the issue is not isolated to a single nation.

The sport’s governing body, World Curling, issued clarification on the rule, saying that players may not make contact with the stone’s granite surface after the release, even if the release motion has started. Umpires emphasized that such infringements justify removal of the stone from play.

Officials have announced increased surveillance of matches, with designated umpires monitoring multiple games to better enforce compliance. It remains unclear if all teams are being watched with the same scrutiny.

Video replay is reportedly not being used to overturn on-ice decisions.