Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 14 (Reporters Tan Chang, Ma Sijia, Zhang Yueshan) "No need. ”
After saying that, Ma Xiuyue, the captain of the Chinese men's curling team, returned to the ice and prepared to throw the pot at four bases. What he rejected was the option proposed by the referee and opponent that "the Chinese team's scoring pot can be directly put back into the base camp".
U.S. men's curling team captain Schuster was slightly puzzled: "Are you sure you don't need it?" Ma Xiuyue waved her hand, signaling the game to continue.
On February 13, U.S. player John Schuster (front) and Ma Xiuyue competed in the game. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He
This is a scene that occurred on the evening of the 13th in the Curling Round Robin Tournament at the Beijing Winter Olympics in the match between the Chinese team and the United States team. Prior to this conversation, the game was suspended due to the "touching of the pot" by the American team.
At that time, the game was played to the sixth inning, and the Chinese team fell behind 3:5. Before the match, the Chinese team and the United States team had two wins and three losses, and the result of this game was crucial to whether it could advance to the final four.
Team Usa's third baseperson Prisquat pedaled, and a red pot from the Chinese team in the base camp was closer to the center of the circle, and his task was to clean the red pot.
The Chinese team arranged a placeholder outside the camp, and if they wanted to knock the red pot out of the base camp, they had to bypass the placeholder pot.
Priss shot a little less, and the American team quickly followed up with first base Rand Steiner and second baseMan Hamilton. Just past the placeholder, Landsteiner suddenly stopped. The American team's throwing pot successfully entered the camp and knocked the red pot out of the camp.
The tactical goal was achieved, but Schuster looked serious, and he noticed that Landsteiner had hit a placeholder while wiping the ice.
On Feb. 13, U.S. player John Landsteiner played the game. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He
"I'm pretty sure our jug can bypass the jug, but he touched the jug while wiping the ice. You decide what to do with it. Schuster took the initiative to say to Ma Xiuyue.
Slow-motion footage of the television broadcast showed landsteiner wiping the ice when the ice brushes slightly touched the Chinese team's placeholder. But even without touching the pot, team Usa's yellow pot can bypass the jug.
That is to say, the American team has a "touching the pot" violation, but it has not substantially benefited from the "touching the pot".
Because the "touching pot" was relatively mild, Ma Xiuyue, who was focused on the situation in the base camp, was unaware. Zou Qiang told Ma Xiuyue, "(Even if you don't touch the pot), the yellow pot can come over." ”
"If you think that the other party's ice brush does not touch the pot, you can't get around the placeholder, and you can choose to put your pot back in the base camp." The referee reminded Ma Xiuyue.
A senior person in China's curling industry told reporters that curling competitions follow the "spirit of curling" and have their own unique competitive traditions. Referees rarely intervene in the game, nor do they play back the "case" through slow-motion playback, and most of the situation on the field is handled by the athletes through consultation.
China's Zou Qiang (third from left) and his teammates play during a match on Feb. 13. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He
The referee and Schuster both proposed to Ma Xiuyue that the red pot could be put back to the base camp. This means that the Chinese team is very likely to steal points in this game and reverse the unfavorable situation.
However, after communicating with his teammates, Ma Xiuyue knew that the American team most likely did not benefit from "touching the pot". Eventually, he signaled that the scene could remain as it was and not put his curling back into the camp.
The sixth inning continued, with the U.S. team scoring two points at the backhand. After ten innings, the Chinese team lost 6:8.
"His decision is an excellent embodiment of sportsmanship." Schuster, who attended the Winter Olympics for the fifth time, told Xinhua news agency after the game that the choice of China's opponents was "more important than anything."
Schuster said that in the curling arena, every curler wants his opponent to make a decision based on what he really sees and feels, and he appreciates Ma Xiuyue's sportsmanlike behavior.
On February 13, Ma Xiuyue of the Chinese team threw a pot during a competition. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He
Talking about this decision, Ma Xiuyue said calmly: "The referee said that you can swing the ball back. But when we look at the still ball, even if he doesn't touch it, it won't affect the line of the pitch. Because curling is a gentleman's project, it doesn't affect [curling] and we don't swing the ball back. ”
For the American team to take the initiative to admit the behavior of "touching the pot", a netizen commented: "In the absence of seeing the first time to take the initiative to touch the pot, respect the decision of the Chinese team, even if it has been decided the last pot is also seriously discussing tactics, this is the Olympic Games, this is the field, clean and clean to win the game with strength!" ”
Editors: Liu Ning, Huang Xuguo, Ji Jiadong