World Curling says Canada and Sweden aren’t rule-breakers.
After a profanity-laced dispute between Canada’s Team Brad Jacobs and Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin on Friday at the Winter Olympics about double-touching of rocks, World Curling put out a statement on Saturday.
“The issue of second touches of the stone, specifically the granite, during the delivery was brought to the umpire’s attention,” World Curling wrote in a statement provided to Devin Heroux of CBC Olympics.
“Officials spoke with both teams and set game umpires at the hog line to monitor deliveries for three ends, which is the official protocol following this type of complaint.
“There were no hog-line violations or retouches of the stone during the observation period.”
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Team Brad Jacobs will aim to get Canada back on top of the Olympic podium for men’s curling for the first time since 2014 this month in Italy. Follow all the action with Sportsnet.
However, that doesn’t mean World Curling is thrilled with Canada’s behaviour.
The organization said Saturday it issued a verbal warning “regarding the language used by a Canadian men’s player during the game.”
On Friday, television microphones picked up both teams grumbling to officials about the opposing team’s releases. Sweden, in particular, seemed to think Canada’s Marc Kennedy was touching the rock after his release.
While putting the rocks away after the ninth end, Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson went at Kennedy, accusing him of double-touching the rock as he released, saying his hand was still touching the rock after the hog line. The two swore at each other continuously.
“I haven’t done it once,” Kennedy said.
“I’ll show you a video after the game,” Eriksson replied.
“How about you walking around on my peel dancing around the house here,” Kennedy shot back.
“I’ll show you a video when it’s two metres over the hog line,” Eriksson responded before the teams actually started curling again in the 10th end.
In its statement Saturday, World Curling said: “During that meeting it was made clear to those officials that further inappropriate behaviour, determined by rule R.19 would result in additional sanctions.
“Rule R.19 states: ‘Improper conduct, foul or offensive language, equipment abuse, or wilful damage on the part of any team member is prohibited. Any violation may result in suspension of the offending person(s) by the curling organisation having jurisdiction.‘
As for delivery of a rock, there are several rules that appear to cover the topic.
Rule 5(e) in the curling rule book states: “A stone must be clearly released from the hand before it reaches the hog line at the delivery end. If the player fails to do so, the stone is immediately removed from play by the delivering team.”
Rule 5(d) says: “The curling stone must be delivered using the handle of the stone.”
Rule 9(a) states: “If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the team to which it belongs, or by their equipment, the touched stone is removed from play immediately by that team. A double touch by the person delivering the stone, prior to the hog line at the delivering end, is not considered a violation.”
World Curling said Saturday two umpires will move between all four sheets to observe deliveries for the rest of the event.
Jacobs faces Great Britain’s Team Bruce Mouat on Saturday (8:05 a.m. ET / 5:05 a.m. PT, CBC Gem, Sportsnet+).