World Curling has made yet another adjustment to its umpire setup at the Winter Games following a weekend marred by controversy and disputes over athlete deliveries. The governing body announced that umpires monitoring athlete deliveries at the hog line will now only intervene 'at the request of competing teams,' which aims to address concerns raised during the recent matches. This decision comes in the wake of incidents that led to contentious outcomes in two notable games, including a matchup where Canadian skip Rachel Homan's rock was controversially pulled back due to an alleged violation.

The decision to adjust the umpiring protocol follows an incident involving Canadian women’s skip Rachel Homan, who faced a significant setback when her first rock was pulled during a match against Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni. Homan was accused of having 'double-touched' her rock, a violation that can result in penalties. Despite Homan strongly contesting the umpire's decision, Canada ultimately lost the match, which has sparked wider discussions around the consistency and fairness of umpiring decisions in curling. The situation escalated as another instance occurred where a British player’s rock was also removed for similar reasons.

The adjustments made to the umpiring setup highlight the ongoing challenges faced by World Curling in maintaining fair play and integrity in the sport. The decision to allow umpires to intervene only when requested by teams aims to empower athletes and reduce the instances of controversial disputes during high-stakes matches. As the Games continue, this change may influence how teams approach strategic decisions regarding their plays, but it also raises questions about the role of referees in ensuring the sport's rules are enforced uniformly and fairly across all matches.