Canadian curling team kicked out of tournament for being 'extremely drunk'

Tom Schad | USA TODAY

A 2014 Olympic gold medalist and his three teammates were kicked out of a curling tournament on Sunday for being "extremely drunk," according to one official at the event.

Wade Thurber, the facility manager of the Pidherney Curling Centre Manager in Alberta, told The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that 2014 gold medal winner Ryan Fry, team captain Jamie Koe and team members DJ Kidby and Chris Schille were all ejected from the Red Deer Curling Classic because they were swearing and generally exhibiting "unacceptable behavior that nobody wants to watch or hear or listen to."

"There was some damage in the locker room and other teams complaining about their stuff being kicked around in the locker room," Thurber told CBC. "So at the end of the day, it was like 'OK, that's enough of this gong show.'"

The World Curling Tour confirmed on Twitter that the team had been ejected for what it called "unsportsmanlike behaviour."

The team of Jamie Koe, Ryan Fry, Chris Schille and DJ Kidby has been ejected from the Red Deer Curling Classic due to unsportsmanlike behaviour, forfeiting their remaining game. #curling #wcthttps://t.co/DmrezFmzwq — World Curling Tour (@worldcurltour) November 18, 2018

Fry was filling in on Koe's team at the event, according to multiple reports. He was a member of the Canadian team that won gold in Sochi in 2014.

In a statement issued to CBC, the 40-year-old apologized to those in attendance at the event and tournament organizers.

"My actions were truly disrespectful and embarrassing — the committee was right to disqualify us from play," Fry said in the statement. "I allowed myself to lose control and I offended people with my actions. I wish nothing more than to apologize to everyone individually.

"I will be taking proper steps to ensure this problem can never happen again and I will strive to become a better version of myself while contributing positively to the sport and curling community that I love so much."

Earlier Sunday, a Twitter account for Koe's team posted a picture of the foursome sitting at a table with eight beer bottles and the caption "#TeamCorona2.0." The tweet has since been deleted.

The Red Deer Curling Classic was set to conclude Monday.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.