'Amazing Race' Team Reveals Penalty They Could Have Received After Major Mistake in Latest Episode

We don’t see penalties happen that often on The Amazing Race , but one almost happened this week. When contestants don’t follow the rules, usually by mistake, they are given a penalty and must wait to be checked in at the pit stop. The length of the penalty sometimes can lead to them finishing last for that leg of the race, leading to their elimination.

So, what happened on the latest episode? And what would the penalty have been? Keep reading to find out more...



Mother-daughter team Melinda and Erika Papadeas made a major mistake during the Bulgaria leg of the current season, but they came in last place and were eliminated regardless. Melinda and Erika misread a clue that said they were not allowed to use taxis during the leg of the race. They thought it said they must use taxis and they took multiple car trips around the city.

“We would’ve had a 30-minute penalty for each taxi ride,” Melinda told Us Weekly . Erika added, “So it would’ve been two hours.” Erika has owned up to the mistake as she was the only one reading the clues due to her mom Melinda ‘s poor eyesight.

“[ Phil ] was like, ‘You guys misread it. I’m sure it was like a team thing.’ And my mom goes, ‘Oh, I’ve never read a clue.

’ I was like, ‘Thank you,’” she said. She added, “When he said that, I was like, ‘No, I read the clue.’ And he was like, ‘But did you?’ And I was like, so we need to clarify this.

It’s not read your clue, it’s read your clue correctly. Because I totally read the clue. I just didn’t read it correctly.

” Last year, a team revealed secrets from set about what happened when their camera crew went missing , which caused their elimination..