Sweden's Mixed Doubles Curling Debut at 2026 Olympics Marred by Power Outage and Referee Error

Sweden's mixed doubles curling team, led by siblings Rasmus and Isabella Wranå, made a dramatic and somewhat controversial debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Their first match against South Korea was overshadowed by a power outage early in the game and a referee mistake that led to a premature end to the match.

Shortly after the game began, a power failure at the curling arena caused a temporary loss of result screens, large displays, and several floodlights for several minutes, creating confusion among players and spectators. Despite this disruption, the match resumed without further technical issues, and the Swedish duo delivered a commanding performance, ultimately winning 10-3 against South Korea.

The controversy arose late in the game when officials mistakenly believed the match had concluded. The referees ended the game after the sixth end, wrongly assuming South Korea could not recover despite Sweden's strong 10-3 lead. Sweden's coach, Andreas Prytz, criticized the officials' judgment, saying, "They count wrong," and expressed frustration over the premature conclusion. Rasmus Wranå shared his surprise at the early ending, noting it felt strange but acknowledged that the Korean team may have effectively conceded.

Isabella Wranå described the incident as a "human error" and regretted that such confusion marred their Olympic debut. Curling expert Eva Lund also voiced disappointment about the referee error and highlighted that ending a match early in this manner was improper, particularly in such a prestigious event.

Despite the irregularities, Sweden's team maintained professionalism throughout. Peja Lindholm, a Swedish curling legend, praised the Wranå siblings for their calm and composed reaction during the disruption, emphasizing that such unforeseen issues should have been anticipated and mitigated by the event organizers.

After this eventful opening, the Swedish team is preparing for their upcoming matches against the Czech Republic and Estonia in the mixed doubles tournament. The 10-3 victory stands, though the mixed experience highlighted the need for improved operational readiness and clearer officiating protocols at the Olympic curling competitions.