Winter Olympics Curling Match Descends into Cheating Scandal
Tempers flared dramatically at the Winter Olympics as a high-stakes curling match between Canada and Sweden erupted into a bitter war of words, with explosive allegations of cheating dominating the icy arena. The round-robin clash saw Canadian curler Marc Kennedy at the centre of a furious dispute, culminating in wild scenes and foul-mouthed exchanges that overshadowed the sporting contest.
Heated Confrontation Over Stone-Touching Allegations
The controversy ignited when Sweden's Oskar Eriksson repeatedly accused Kennedy of touching his stones after release—a clear violation in curling once the stone passes the hog line. Incensed by what he perceived as baseless cheating claims, Kennedy responded with a barrage of expletives, gesturing towards himself in apparent disbelief. The Canadian star yelled defiantly: "I haven't done it once. You can f*** off."
Unfazed by the colourful language, Eriksson stood his ground, shouting back: "I'll show you a video after the game. I'll show you a video where it's two meters over the hog line." The Swedish curler persisted with his complaints throughout the match, even approaching the judge to demand clarification, asking: "You saw it. You saw the touching, right? So is he allowed to do it or not? That's the question."
Team Backing and Counter-Allegations
Eriksson's teammate Niklas Edin supported the objections, telling the official: "There's no way you can do that." This prompted Canadian player Ben Herbert to launch a counter-protest, urging the judge to monitor Eriksson for alleged double-touching. The sixth end saw tensions boil over again, with slow-motion footage appearing to show Kennedy releasing the stone before potentially touching it again as it crossed the hog line—which would constitute a violation if confirmed.
However, officials ruled they could not determine with certainty whether a double-touch had occurred, leaving the matter unresolved on the ice. The heated exchange prompted World Curling to issue a statement clarifying the regulations, emphasising that stones must be clearly released before reaching the hog line, with violations requiring immediate removal from play.
Post-Match Fallout and Historical Context
Despite the controversy, Canada, led by skip Brad Jacobs, secured an 8-6 victory over Sweden in this crucial fixture. The win came during a challenging tournament for the defending champions, who had already lost to Team GB earlier—a stark contrast to their triumph over Team Mouat in the 2022 Beijing final. Following the match, Kennedy, a Winter Olympic gold medallist from the 2010 Vancouver games, expressed his frustration at the repeated allegations.
In a post-match interview, he stated: "There's hog line devices on there. I don't know. And he's still accusing us of cheating. I didn't like it. So I told him where to stick it." The incident highlights the intense pressure and high stakes at the Winter Olympics, where sporting rivalries can quickly escalate into dramatic confrontations over rules and integrity.
