Curling Officials “Not (Taking Action), That’s Interesting to Me”

Here’s part 3 of our “Getting Mean Out There” story spotlighting post-game athlete quotes, following part 2.

NIKLAS EDIN

“I tried to stay out of it. I tried to keep my composure. And then obviously, you hear both players on the ice and off the ice stating that handles are let go and then (a) hand following through, poking the rock itself and obviously that’s not allowed. It’s pretty clearly stated.

“So it’s just sad to see in a sport where its a lot about sportsmanship, and we’re all super good friends out there. We’ve known them for 20 years. And it’s happened many times before, so it’s just sad that it gets to heated discussions on the ice instead of just curling, according to the rule books, but it’s what it is.

“It’s happened (at) many championships before, so it’s just surprising that it’s still happening this many years later, and that the umpires do nothing about it. They see it happen and state pretty clearly that, yes, I saw it happening, and I’m reading the rule book for you now, and yes, it’s not allowed, but we don’t act on it. So that’s interesting to me.

“In my opinion, it’s pretty clear what’s happening out there. And why they start screaming about it, I’m not really sure to be honest. Obviously, they think it’s okay, or they don’t think they’re doing it the way the video shows. I don’t know. It’s a little sad they start screaming instead of just taking it and doing better.

“We have no reason to lie about it. All these games are video filmed, and there are quite a few cameras out there, so if they say they touched it, then they probably did. And even if they didn’t, it's an active motion forward after you let go of the handle. I don’t really know why you do that. It’s an awkward follow-through.

“If you putt in golf, would you then reach after it with your putter? If you nudge it or not, it’s still just an odd move to do. You make the putt and you stop, and you watch it. That’s how it’s supposed to be. You don’t follow after it, like they’re doing bowls. 

“That’s the way we throw. If they want to have that kind of follow-through, I guess it’s up to them, and obviously they think it’s okay. 

“Keep doing it until the umpires think it’s not okay, and remove the rocks I guess.”

BEN HEBERT

“We’ve been curling for 25 years at this level and never heard that before. Just gamesmanship. They’re 0-3. They’re frustrated. They’re a very, very, very good team, a championship-calibre team that has won this event and every event.

“They were frustrated, so they were just trying to get in our heads a little bit. And it didn’t work. We’re 3-0. They’re 0-3.

On complaining about Oskar Eriksson and his delivery:

“He did it to us. I just did it back to him because he was being an idiot. 

“It’s OK.  I’ve got all the respect in the world for Oskar. He’s a great player, world champ, Olympic champ. He was just frustrated they’re losing, and I’ve been there too. So no harm, no foul.

“Now that they've lost three, they could easily run the table (win their other games). They’re a great team.”