CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — It looked like a normal throw.
Canadian skip Rachel Homan curled a stone into the 8-foot circle late in the first end of their women’s curling round-robin game Saturday against Switzerland at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
After the stone settled, though, an umpire positioned on the hog line ruled that Homan had touched the rock after releasing the handle. That’s not allowed, and it’s the same violation that caused a stir in a Canadian men’s game the night before.
“Absolutely not,” an incredulous Homan said after the call.
Advertisement
Her teammates protested to the officials. “It looked like a really good throw to us from the side, so I’m confused at that,” said Emma Miskew, the team’s second.
“Zero percent chance,” Homan continued. “There’s no way, I’d love to see a video.”
What You Should Read Next

Canadian curler curses out Swedish opponent after cheating accusations at Olympics
The Canadian men’s team beat the U.S. earlier in the day, with the victory against Sweden putting its record at 3-0.
Video replay, though, is not an option, a supervising official explained. The umpire’s observation would be the final ruling.
“I guess there’s nothing we can do, if that’s what you’re saying,” said Sarah Wilkes, the team’s lead.
The stone was removed from play, and Canada took just one point with a hammer in the first end.
Even if replay had been an option, the Canadians might not have liked what they saw. A replay of the Peacock broadcast appeared to show Homan’s finger graze the rock after releasing it.
On Friday, Canada’s men’s team got into a verbal scrap with Sweden over the same issue. The Swedish team questioned whether one of Canada’s players, Marc Kennedy, was touching the stone after it was released.
“You can f— off,” Kennedy said in response.
Curlers can only use the stone’s handle when releasing it, not the granite base.
At the Olympics, stone handles have sensors called “hog eyes” to determine whether a handle was tapped after the stone crossed the green hog line. There is no sensor inside the rock itself, so any late contact with the granite does not trigger a red flash.
In a statement in response to Friday’s incident in the men’s game, World Curling — the sport’s international governing body — said it would increase oversight of releases beginning Saturday.
“It is not possible for World Curling to have game umpires positioned to observe all hog lines for every stone delivery,” the statement said. “However, beginning with the Saturday (14 February) afternoon session, two officials will move between all four sheets and observe deliveries.”
Advertisement
Homan and Canada rebounded after the disrupted first end. A steal on the second end gave them a 2-0 lead and two in the third made it 4-0.
The Swiss got one back in the fourth end before Homan had another stone snafu in the fifth. As she prepared to throw her last rock, she realized the handle was loose and asked for a repair. Homan then shot long on an attempt to draw to the button, and the Swiss stole another point.
The game turned in the seventh end, when Switzerland scored four to take a 6-5 lead. The Swiss ultimately won, 8-7, in 11 ends.
Canada, the defending world champion, is just 1-3 in group play so far after three straight losses.
News
HOT: Families of PhD students in Florida unveil a shocking 3-minute clip, react after being accused of murder: “Why did no one intervene in time?”
BREAKING: Families of PhD Students in Florida Release 3-Minute Video as Evidence, Demand Answers After Murder Accusations — “Why Was No Decisive Action Taken?” A growing storm is unfolding in Florida, where a case that began as a tragic homicide investigation has now spiraled into a complex and emotionally charged public battle involving academia, law […]
BREAKING: Families of PhD students in Florida RELEASE a 3-minute video as evidence, speaking out after being accused of murder: “Why was no decisive action taken?”
BREAKING: Families of PhD Students in Florida Release 3-Minute Video as Evidence, Demand Answers After Murder Accusations — “Why Was No Decisive Action Taken?” A growing storm is unfolding in Florida, where a case that began as a tragic homicide investigation has now spiraled into a complex and emotionally charged public battle involving academia, law […]
“NO ONE HEARD HIM, BUT HE WAS PREPARING”: The Hidden Searches Before Two Lives Were Lost
“HE ASKED HOW TO HIDE A CRIME”: The Chilling Digital Trail Behind a Double Tragedy in Florida “What happens if a person is put into a trash bag…?” That question, stark and unsettling, is now at the center of a case that has gripped both investigators and the public. According to newly released court documents, […]
“HE WAS PLANNING IN SILENCE”: The Sinister Searches Before the Bridge Tragedy
“HE ASKED HOW TO HIDE A CRIME”: The Chilling Digital Trail Behind a Double Tragedy in Florida “What happens if a person is put into a trash bag…?” That question, stark and unsettling, is now at the center of a case that has gripped both investigators and the public. According to newly released court documents, […]
“HE ASKED HOW TO HIDE A CRIME”: Chilling searches before the night two graduate students vanished
“HE ASKED HOW TO HIDE A CRIME”: The Chilling Digital Trail Behind a Double Tragedy in Florida “What happens if a person is put into a trash bag…?” That question, stark and unsettling, is now at the center of a case that has gripped both investigators and the public. According to newly released court documents, […]
EVERY YEAR ON OUR ANNIVERSARY, MY HUSBAND MADE A TOAST ABOUT THE WOMAN HE “ALMOST MARRIED.” THE YEAR MY SON ASKED ME WHY I WAS ALWAYS SECOND, I STOPPED SMILING
Every June 12th, my husband raised a glass and told the same story. It didn’t matter if we were at home, in a restaurant, or surrounded by twenty relatives in my in-laws’ backyard. He would stand up, clear his throat like he was about to give a speech worth remembering, and say: —“You know… if […]
End of content
No more pages to load







