Team Homan's Olympic Curling Struggles Continue Amid Double Touch Controversy
In a dramatic turn of events at the Winter Olympics, Canada's top-ranked women's curling team led by skip Rachel Homan has suffered their third consecutive defeat in Olympic competition. The latest loss came against Switzerland's Team Silvana Tirinzoni with a final score of 8-7, following earlier defeats that have put the Canadian squad in a precarious position in the tournament standings.
Controversy Engulfs Women's Competition
The Saturday evening match in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, took an unexpected turn when officials penalized Homan for allegedly double touching a stone during the first end. This incident dragged the women's competition into the same controversy that has been dominating the men's side of Olympic curling throughout the tournament.
"I don't understand the call. I'll never understand it," Homan told reporters after the match. "Never done that. Has nothing to do with us. Refs shouldn't be in our game, there's no infractions on the women's side at all. It was absurd."
The Double Touch Rule Clarification
World Curling Federation issued a statement clarifying the rules around double touching, stating that "during forward motion, touching the granite of the stone is not allowed" and that such infractions would result in the stone being removed from play. This clarification came after increased monitoring of the hog line was implemented for Saturday's games.
The controversy stems from an expletive-laden exchange between Canada's Marc Kennedy and a Swedish player who accused him of cheating during Friday's men's competition. This incident prompted World Curling to increase monitoring and issue the rule clarification that would later affect the women's competition.
Team Reaction and Game Details
During the controversial call, Canadian second Emma Miskew could be heard questioning the officials' decision, asking if they could "do a replay option" since she was positioned right beside Homan and did not witness any double touch violation. The official maintained the call despite the protest, describing it as a "terrible situation" but standing firm on the decision.
The game itself saw Canada surrender four points in the seventh end against Switzerland, putting them in a difficult position. Despite a late rally that saw Canada force extra ends after tying the game 7-7 in the tenth, Switzerland ultimately secured the victory with a single point in the extra end.
Tournament Implications and Future Outlook
Canada entered the Olympic tournament as favorites but have now fallen to a disappointing 1-3 record following their opening victory. The team faces China in their next scheduled match on Monday, needing to reverse their fortunes quickly to remain in medal contention.
Homan expressed frustration that the women's competition was being affected by controversies from the men's side, suggesting that increased monitoring prompted by the men's incidents was creating unnecessary scrutiny in the women's matches. "I felt the women were being penalized for the controversy in the men's game," she stated, referring to the stepped-up hog line monitoring that has become a focal point of the tournament.
The double touch controversy has become the dominant story of Olympic curling, creating tension between teams and officials while adding an unexpected layer of drama to what was anticipated to be straightforward competition. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will remain on how teams adapt to the increased scrutiny and whether Canada can overcome both their opponents and the controversy surrounding their performance.
