What can a curling umpire do?
Officials' detail · Competition · 1 of 1Curling relies first on players calling their own breaches, in the Spirit of Curling. The umpire settles any dispute, whether or not the rules cover it, and an appeal goes to the Chief Umpire, whose word is final. The Chief Umpire may eject a player for bad conduct, and the team then forfeits the game.
How it works
- Spirit of Curling: players own up to breaches they notice.
- Umpire: decides any dispute and may step in at any time.
- Appeals: the Chief Umpire's decision is final.
- Ejection: for unacceptable conduct or language; no alternate, and the team forfeits.
- Ice damage: two warnings, then the player is ejected on the third.
- Electronic devices: banned during games, apart from time-only stopwatches.
- Equipment: must meet World Curling standards; a first offence disqualifies the player and forfeits the game.
- Uniforms: identical for the team, light or dark to match the handles.
The glossary has the umpire (curling), the Spirit of Curling, the ice damage and conduct, the electronic devices, the forfeit and the eligibility (World Curling).
Tricky cases
Can a team use a radio to talk to its coach?
No. Electronic communication is forbidden during a game.
A player leaves a handprint in the ice. What happens?
A first official warning and a repair; a third incident gets the player ejected.
A team uses a banned brush a second time. What then?
The team is disqualified, and its players are barred from World Curling events for 12 months.
Can a coach talk to the team mid-end?
Only from the team officials' area, without yelling, and only while the team is not delivering.
Why the rule exists
Curling has few officials on the ice, so it leans on players' honesty. The umpire's broad powers cover what self-policing cannot settle.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Umpire's decision | Appeal to the Chief Umpire | WC C10 (f) |
| Equipment offence | First: player out, game forfeit; second: team out | WC C3 (i) |
| Ice damage | Third incident: ejection | WC R11 (a) |
From the rule book
World Curling, The Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition (1 September 2026), rules R11, R18, R19, C2 (k), C3 and C10, and the Spirit of Curling. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Curling's rules, reviewed every year.