Cheating in the most-polite sport, curling and what is "sledhead?"
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is a special edition of Up First.
What are the major storylines in the Winter Games?
We have our gold medal team in Italy, and they're here to talk about the big storylines. You'll hear about the big names, such as Michaela Schifrin and Jordan Stolz, and all things Team USA. I'm Amy Martinez, and you're listening to an audio sneak peek of Up First Winter Games, a new video podcast from NPR during the Olympics. New episodes will post throughout the games at youtube.com slash NPR. Stay with us for a preview of the show. The curling cheating scandal that's rocking the Olympics.
He told them to buzz off, but in stronger words, on live television. And this, in the worlds of curling, was totally shocking.
Why this isn't the first time Canada's curling team has been accused of cheating. Plus, Olympic organizers on thin ice. They promised a sustainable Winter Games, but did they live up to that pledge? NPR's Ruth Sherlock will have that story. And... Have you heard of the term sled head?
Even a slight impact on the wall could cause the brain to move within the skull.
Move within the skull.
And no helmet is going to protect you from that.
We'll talk about the risks to the brain athletes face when competing in high-speed sledding events. I'm Ian Martinez, and this is Up First Winter Games.
It's Monday, February 16th, and here's what you need to know. Norway's Johannes Klabo won his fourth gold medal these games, making him the most decorated winner Olympian of all time. The cross-country star now has a total of nine career Olympic gold medals, and his win on Sunday cements his place as one of the most dominant skiers the sport has ever seen. And get this, he may not be done yet. The 29-year-old still has two more events where he's the favorite for the top spot. Speaking of gold medals and history, Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braten took home gold in the men's giant slalom, marking the first winner Olympic medal ever for South America. And the Olympic drought continues for Michaela Schifrin as she failed to make the podium in the women's giant slalom on Sunday, finishing 11th.
Italy's Federica Brighioni took home her second gold of the Games.
What is the curling cheating scandal about?
NPR's Brian Mann was there and has more on Schifrin's performance and what she said after the race.
This is definitely not that big dramatic comeback moment. The Giant Slalom is not her best event. She was injured in this event a couple of years ago. That said, as she came by and talked with us, she looked incredibly upbeat, incredibly positive. She said she was really hopeful that she was within touching distance of the leaders. And so she's got one more event here. The slalom, which is her big race, that's going to come on Wednesday. This is her chance to bring home a medal of some kind for the U.S. We'll see if that can happen.
Why is the double touch controversy significant in curling?
Normally, curling has a reputation for being one of the more, shall we say, polite sports at the Olympics. But now an alleged cheating scandal is rocking the Olympic curling world and things have gotten pretty heated between the men's Canadian and Swedish teams. NPR's Ping Huang has more on to touch or not to touch. What is happening, Ping?
All right, A. So in Curling, players throw a rock down a sheet of ice, and you have to release it before it gets to something called the hog line. If you don't release it before then, it gets disqualified, it gets burned, you're supposed to take it out of play. Now, the controversy here is over the allegation of a double touch. In a match on Friday, the Swedes accused a Canadian player of touching the stone after he released it, keeping his finger on the stone as it crossed the hog line, which is a big no in curling.
Okay, yeah, so why does that matter? Why does this double touch matter so much?
Okay, so there's two things about the situation, A. Number one is the allegation itself, and number two is how the Canadians responded. So, for some context, as you mentioned, curling is a super polite sport, There is something called the spirit of curling, which is like their code of ethics. It's all about good sportsmanship.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:01
2
What are the major storylines in the Winter Games?
0:01–2:14
3
What is the curling cheating scandal about?
2:14–2:53
4
Why is the double touch controversy significant in curling?
2:53–17:39
5
How did Team Canada respond to the cheating allegations?
17:39–22:57
Speakers
7 identifiedMore from Up First from NPR
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