In the early hours of March 4, two granite curling stones disappeared from the Curling Olympic Stadium in Milan‑Cortina just before wheelchair curling was set to begin. The theft came on the heels of last month’s scandal, when a Canadian team was accused of cheating during the Olympic Games.
Immediate Response
The local police launched an investigation and secured the perimeter around the stadium. World Curling released an email stating that spare stones had been brought to the same specifications as the main set, ensuring the competition would continue unaffected.
"The spare stones from the set are now being used and have been brought to the same specifications as the rest of the set so there has been no impact on the competition," the federation said.
Impact on Athletes
Teams were briefed that the replacement stones would not alter match outcomes. The incident, however, raised concerns about security protocols at large sporting events.