It’s unlikely that the drunken debacle at the Red Deer Curling Classic will slam the door on lounges at rinks anytime soon.
On Saturday, skip Jamie Koe and his team were so intoxicated, Koe didn’t make it on the ice. His teammate, Ryan Fry, a 2014 Olympic champion, reportedly broke three brooms and the team was tossed from the tournament.
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Curlers’ behaviour ‘unacceptable’ and ‘disrespectful’ at Red Deer Curling Classic
Red Deer Curling Centre manager Wade Thurber said Tuesday it was very disappointing for elite athletes to act that way. The whole situation was kind of bizarre and doesn’t reflect the sport, he added.
But curling wouldn’t be curling without the chance to sit down for a drink after the game is done, he said.
“Alcohol and curling is just like golf and alcohol. It’s gone hand in hand since the beginning of time,” Thurber said on Tuesday.
“It’s a very social sport. Typically, you go curl a game, go upstairs, sit down with the opposition, have a beer and chat about whatever.”
He said getting rid of lounges is not necessary and would actually hurt the sport.
“Curling clubs across Canada are typically struggling to survive. Alcohol is a source of revenue.”
The alcohol-fuelled behaviour by that one team is not a black-eye for the game, although it did attract world-wide attention, Thurber said.
“I was doing non-stop interviews all day (Monday) from all over. It even hit The Guardian newspaper in London, England, if you can believe it.”
But at the end of the day, the incident was a rarity, he said.
“The guy had too much to drink. It’s no different than any other major league sport where you see a guy snap.”
But Thurber is glad the World Curling Tour is now looking at developing a code of conduct for players and teams.
“I did speak to the World Curling Tour about this exact thing and they’re in full agreement,” said Thurber, who has been asked to submit a report about what happened.
Curlers with the Snowbird league playing at the Red Deer Curling Centre on Tuesday agreed the team’s intoxicated behaviour was out of character for the sport.
“It’s just a one-off that doesn’t represent what goes on in neighhourhood rinks,” Kevin Schropfer said.
Bob Dixon called it an anomaly.
“Curling is one of the last (sports) I’d expect that from. We haven’t seen that before, haven’t even heard of it,” Dixon said.
Tim Murray said it was a shocker.
“It’s not that kind of a game. Usually, it’s a very gentlemanly game. It’s non-confrontational,” Murray said.
Dixon couldn’t imagine even breaking a broom.
“It’s hard enough to sweep the rocks. To get mad enough to break a broom, it’s just too much energy. Of course, we’re in a senior’s league,” Dixon said with a smile.
He said in the old days, there used to be cigar smoking and drinks on the ice, but that doesn’t happen anymore.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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