Curling Controversy Grips 2026 Winter Olympics Amidst ‘Double-Touching’ Accusations

The curling competitions at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, have been overshadowed by controversy this weekend, as accusations of “double-touching” – illegally touching the stone after release – have sparked heated debate and increased scrutiny of gameplay.

British Team Faces Accusations

The controversy widened on Sunday when Scottish curler Bobby Lammie of the British men’s team had a stone removed during their 9-4 round-robin victory against Germany. Officials determined Lammie had touched a stone after releasing it, a violation of the rules according to the Associated Press.

Initial Allegations Focused on Canada

Prior to the incident involving Lammie, the allegations centered on Canadian curlers. The controversy began Friday night when Sweden’s men’s team accused their Canadian opponents of the infraction. A day later, a stone was removed from the Canadian women’s match against Switzerland after Rachel Homan allegedly double-touched a stone. Both Canadian teams denied any wrongdoing, and videos circulating on social media fueled the debate.

Increased Officiating and Concerns Over Training

In response to the growing concerns, World Curling directed two umpires to monitor play at each round, beginning on Saturday. But, Canadian coach Paul Webster questioned the preparedness of these officials, stating, “I think we have untrained people doing things that they’ve never done before,” as reported by NBC Fresh York. He emphasized the difference between Olympic-level competition and regular curling tournaments.

Reactions and Calls for Video Replay

Canadian men’s captain Brad Jacobs expressed frustration with the situation, stating that he believed his team was being unfairly targeted. He also voiced support for Bobby Lammie, saying he would not want a stone thrown by Lammie to be removed, believing he did nothing wrong. The controversy has also sparked a debate about the potential implementation of video replay to assist officials.

Sweden’s Johanna Heldin expressed reservations about video replay, suggesting it could disrupt the speed of play and potentially undermine the sport’s tradition of sportsmanship. However, Tara Peterson of the United States voiced support for the use of instant replay, stating, “There are instances where an instant replay would be huge.”

World Curling Reverses Course on Increased Officiating

Despite the initial increase in officiating, World Curling reversed its decision on Sunday, but not before the incident involving Bobby Lammie occurred.

The controversy continues to unfold as the curling competitions progress at the 2026 Winter Olympics.