The Canadian and Swedish curling teams found themselves in a heated argument, as the latter accused the former of engaging in cheating practices. In the match where Canada’s Team Brad Jacobs secured an 8-6 victory against Team Niklas Edin, the Swedish team asserted that Canadian Marc Kennedy had double-touched the stones after crossing the hog line.
This accusation resulted in a tense exchange between Kennedy and Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson, with cameras capturing some harsh language directed at the Swede. This altercation took place following reports that Team USA’s star athlete Lindsey Vonn had undergone three surgeries, with the possibility of amputation still being a consideration for the Olympic legend.
Canadian Curler Had Heated Moment
The Canadian men’s curling team wrapped up a successful day with a 2-0 record at the 2026 Winter Olympics, narrowly defeating Sweden. Yet, before a winner could be declared in Cortina d’Ampezzo, tensions flared between the two teams. Following the ninth end, a heated verbal dispute occurred on the ice at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium between Canada and Sweden.
The confrontation was ignited by Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson accusing Canada’s Marc Kennedy of double-touching his rock after it was released before the hog line. “It seems that touching the rock after the hog line is acceptable,” Eriksson stated while clearing the house, according to the Toronto Star.
The Star reported that Eriksson’s comments were quickly countered by responses of “who?” “I haven’t done it once,” and “Don’t chirp” from Kennedy. Canada finished its match with an 8-6 victory over Sweden, scoring a point in the 10th end, which improved their record to 3-0 in the round-robin standings.
Rule Interpretation and Official Reaction
The regulations of curling specify that a stone must be released prior to crossing the hog line. To assist in identifying violations, new electronic handles have been implemented at these Olympics, which emit a red flash if contact persists beyond the hog line.
Officials are said to have closely monitored the deliveries for several ends following the initial dispute; however, according to World Curling, no infractions were noted during this observation period.
The Swedish team contended that the problem lay in the possibility of contact being made with the part of the stone that lacks the sensor, a distinction they claimed was significant and still in violation of the rules.
Players’ Reactions after the Match
Following the game, Kennedy admitted that the allegations resonated with him. He mentioned that he has been a professional player for many years and was “taken aback and disheartened” by the implication that he had behaved unjustly.
Swedish athletes defended their decision to raise the issue, with Eriksson emphasising their belief that the rule had been violated, while skip Edin conveyed his disappointment that the disagreement escalated into a profane confrontation on the ice rather than being resolved in a more composed manner.
Accusations of Cheating Created Tensions
Tensions reached a boiling point in the ninth end when Eriksson accused Kennedy of ‘double-touching’ the curling stone after it had crossed the hog line, a move that Swedish players contended would breach the rules if any part of the stone other than the handle was touched post-release.
The argument was captured by television microphones as it transpired. Kennedy vehemently refuted the claim, responding with strong language in the heat of the moment. ‘I haven’t done it once. You can f* off, don’t chirp,’ Kennedy stated during the confrontation, while Eriksson from Sweden maintained that he possessed video evidence and proposed to show it to him after the match.
