Canada Confronts Fresh Olympic Cheating Allegations in Curling Controversy
The Canadian curling team finds itself embroiled in renewed controversy at the Winter Olympics after Switzerland became the latest nation to level accusations of double-touching violations. This development comes just twenty-four hours after Sweden's Oskar Eriksson made similar claims during a heated match against Canada, prompting an explosive reaction from Canadian curler Marc Kennedy that was broadcast internationally.
Swiss Team Levels New Accusations
During Switzerland's 9-5 round-robin victory over Canada on Saturday, Swiss curler Pablo Lachat-Couchepin was overheard telling his coach that he had witnessed double-touching from the opposition. "I don't want to focus too much on it, but he double-touched, and the referee saw it," Lachat-Couchepin stated, according to reports from the Toronto Star. It remains unclear whether these concerns were formally raised with Olympic officials during or after the competitive match.
Understanding the Double-Touching Rule
In curling regulations, a double touch by the person delivering the stone before reaching the hog line—where the stone must be released—does not constitute a violation. However, if any touch occurs inside the hog line boundary, it immediately becomes an infraction subject to penalty. This technical distinction lies at the heart of the ongoing controversy that has now spread across multiple Olympic curling competitions.
Friday's Explosive Confrontation
The current controversy traces back to Friday's curling match between Canada and Sweden in Cortina, where a fierce dispute erupted on the ice. Sweden's Oskar Eriksson repeatedly accused opponent Marc Kennedy of cheating through double-touching violations. Kennedy responded with a wild outburst captured on SVT broadcast, shouting "I haven't done it once" before telling Eriksson to "f*** off" in a moment of raw emotion that shocked viewers.
Controversy Spreads to Women's Competition
The double-touching allegations have even crossed over into women's curling events. Canadian curler Rachel Homan had her stone removed during competition when an official ruled that she had touched it again after releasing the handle. Despite Homan's vigorous protests, curling regulations provide no mechanism for video replays, meaning the official's final verdict stands without possibility of review or reversal.
Official Responses and Investigations
Following Friday's dramatic events, Curling Canada released an official statement addressing both the cheating allegations and Kennedy's foul-mouthed outburst. "During the game, officials were called to the field of play and closely monitored for any release rule infractions, including those involving touching the granite following a complaint by Team Sweden," the statement read. "After three ends of careful observation, no hogline violations or stone retouches were found by the officials."
The organization also acknowledged that the Canadian men's team received a verbal warning for language used during the game, stating they were "aware of and supportive" of this disciplinary action. Curling Canada emphasized its commitment to "fair play, respect and sportsmanship, values that are fundamental to our sport."
International Governing Body Takes Action
World Curling, the sport's international governing body, released its own statement explaining the officiating challenges. "Game Umpires are situated at the end of each sheet and physically cannot see every delivery infraction," the organization stated. "However, when they are made aware of delivery issues, game umpires are positioned to observe the delivery for three ends."
The organization confirmed that during the observation period in Friday evening's game, no violations were recorded. In response to the controversy, World Curling announced that two officials would be positioned to observe all deliveries beginning with Saturday's games, effectively doubling the officiating presence for critical matches.
Kennedy's Apology and Reflection
On Saturday, Marc Kennedy offered a public apology for his language during Friday's confrontation, acknowledging that his emotions had overwhelmed his better judgment. "I probably could've handled myself better in the moment," he told CBC. "I know I'm a role model for Canadian curlers, so if I apologize at all, it's to the young curlers around the country that would've expected more from me in that moment."
The Canadian curler's contrite reflection came as his team continued to face scrutiny over the double-touching allegations that have now been raised by two separate national teams within twenty-four hours at the Winter Olympics.
