World Curling Federation implements temporary fix on 'Frankenbrooms'

SPORTS

World Curling Federation implements temporary fix on 'Frankenbrooms'

The Canadian Press Published Friday, November 6, 2015 1:44PM EST

Brad Gushue, Brett Gallant, and Geoff Walker

Newfoundland and Labrador skip Brad Gushue, left, with Brett Gallant, and Geoff Walker in Calgary, on March 8, 2015. (Jeff McIntosh / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Text:

PERTH, Scotland - The World Curling Federation has banned controversial brooms at the 2015 Pacific-Asia Championships beginning Sunday in Kazakhstan.

The WCF described the move in a statement released Friday as "an interim decision" while it develops an equipment policy to address recent brush head technology that could fundamentally change the sport.

Olympic gold medallists Brad Jacobs, Brad Gushue, Jennifer Jones and former world champion Glenn Howard were among 22 initial teams who signed a statement released Oct. 14, saying their teams will not sweep with brooms that have "directional fabric."

The number of teams endorsing the statement has climbed to almost 50.

Coarse material on the broom heads creates a sandpaper effect on the ice and with it, sweepers have been able to manipulate the rock's trajectory in ways they never could before.

Fearing that throwing accuracy and athleticism would be diminished, the curlers said they want to protect "the integrity of the game" in refusing to use the brush heads.