Curling Controversy at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Canada’s Kennedy Apologizes for On-Ice Exchange

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – A heated exchange between Canadian curler Marc Kennedy and Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson has overshadowed the early stages of the men’s curling competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The incident, stemming from accusations of rule violations during a match on February 13th, led to a profanity-laced outburst from Kennedy and sparked a wider debate about fair play and officiating in the sport.

Accusations of Double-Touching

The controversy began during Canada’s 8-6 round-robin win over Sweden. Eriksson repeatedly suggested to Kennedy that the Canadian team was illegally touching the stones after releasing them – a practice known as “double-touching” which is a violation of curling rules. Kennedy vehemently denied the accusations. The dispute escalated towards the conclude of the game, culminating in Kennedy telling Eriksson to “f— off.”

Kennedy Expresses Regret

Following the incident, Kennedy acknowledged his regret over the language used, stating, “I don’t regret defending myself or my teammates in that moment, but I just probably regret the language I used.” CBC Sports reports that Kennedy has a long and distinguished career and has never intentionally sought a competitive advantage through cheating.

Viral Video Fuels Debate

The situation was further complicated by a viral video appearing to present Kennedy’s finger grazing a stone after release. The origin of the video, filmed near the hog line, was initially unclear, adding fuel to the online accusations. Sportsnet detailed the online wave of accusations that followed.

Impact on Competition and Officiating

The controversy had a ripple effect on the competition. Initially, World Curling implemented increased umpiring to monitor potential violations. However, the organization later reverted to a more traditional officiating setup prior to the final draw on Sunday, February 16th. CBC Sports reported that two rocks were removed in other games during the period of heightened scrutiny.

Canada Bounces Back with Win Over China

Despite the distraction, Canada rebounded with a 6-3 victory over China on Sunday, improving their record to 4-1 in the round-robin stage. Canadian lead Ben Hebert described the win as their “best game of the week,” praising the team’s energy, and confidence. CBC Sports quoted Hebert as saying, “The boys brought a lot of energy tonight… Guys played awesome, ice was good, lot of confidence moving forward.”

Looking Ahead

Team Jacobs is scheduled to face Czechia on Monday, February 16th (8:05 a.m. ET / 5:05 a.m. PT). The team will aim to maintain their momentum and secure a spot in the semifinals, where the top four teams will compete for a medal.