To conclude a season of uncertainty and adversity, Team Shuster successfully completed the round robin of the 2021 World Men’s Curling Championship with a winning record. The Team’s 10-3 record ranked them in the top six of the standings, giving them the 3-seed heading into the playoffs of the Championship and qualifying the United States for a spot in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Shortly following the conclusion of their final round robin game, news broke in the bubble that participants had tested positive for COVID-19. Tests were being administered as a protocol before many participating countries were scheduled to begin their travels back home.

As part of the COVID response plan in Calgary’s bubble, event organizers quickly quarantined all athletes and participants to limit the potential spread and begin the process of testing additional individuals within the bubble.

On Friday, USA Curling was informed that the test results of four competitors came back positive, with one of the four being an American athlete. However, within 24 hours, the four same individuals all tested negative.

On Sunday morning, the World Curling Federation issued an announcement that an athlete in the playoffs yielded a positive test for COVID-19 and would not be playing in the remainder of the Championship.

Due to the scenario of all four individuals testing negative, USA Curling wanted to better understand the criteria of a false positive and the processes of laboratory testing. The on-site doctor, Chief Medical Officers of provinces and the USOPC, Alberta Health, USA Curling National Team Physician, Athletic Trainer, and staff, Director of On-Site Events for Curling Canada, and the Director of the Hematology Lab were among those on a meeting at 9:30 AM (MT).

Doctors on this call were forthcoming with the latest advisement from the Ministry of Health Alberta that was communicated with them just before 9:30 AM (MT). In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Alberta, Doctors proposed that it would be safe for all athletes to compete and games resume under the conditions that all participants be swabbed before and after each game and that masks be mandated while competing.

USA Curling adhered to the direction outlined by Alberta Health to mitigate risk in the bubble and remains committed to treating the health of the curling community as top priority.

“We have done everything that was asked of us,” said John Shuster, skip of Team USA. “All players and teams within this bubble have followed the protocols and guidelines to a tee. Seeing how safe and careful all the teams have been, it was completely surprising to learn of positive tests, and then not surprising to learn that those same individuals then tested negative.”

In thanks to the guidance of health officials through an evolving situation, Shuster and his team received confirmation that they would be able to safely take the ice just one hour before their qualification game against Switzerland.

“We’ve put full trust in Ministry of Health Alberta to ultimately determine the best path forward and can’t thank them enough for their continued consultation,” said USA Curling CEO Jeff Plush. “We’re appreciative of their efforts and will continue to prioritize safety by following the guidance of health authorities.”

USA Curling is sponsored by Toyota, Goldline, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Sitrin, Traveler’s Choice, and Volt, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., 12th End Sports Network, Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People, and United Airlines.