🚨 Minutes ago: Canadian curling athlete speaks out about cheating allegations at the Olympics
The tense moment took place during the men’s curling event at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Italy on Friday, Feb. 13
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Oskar-Eriksson-Marc-Kennedy-021426-18efad99d7fb40af8c9631cd8baaf544.jpg)
Oskar Eriksson of Team Sweden ; Marc Kennedy of Team Canada.Credit : Julian Finney/Getty; Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty
Canada and Sweden got into a heated exchange during the men’s curling event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Swedish player Oskar Eriksson accused Canadian curler Marc Kennedy of cheating as they competed against each other at the Olympic Games in Milan on Friday, Feb. 13, NBC News and the U.K. outlet Metro reported. Sweden lost 8-6 to Canada in the game.
Eriksson, 34, claimed that Kennedy, 44, touched his stone twice before releasing it, which he furiously denied, leading to a shouting match between the pair over the alleged rule break at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
“Apparently, it’s alright touching the rock after the hogline,” Erikkson said to Kennedy, after complaining to officials, per the Metro.
“Who?” Kennedy responded. “It’s a couple,” replied Eriksson.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Oskar-Eriksson-Olympics-Curling-021426-c62bc39f623345ae8c236c224c36dab8.jpg)
Oskar Eriksson of Team Sweden. Jonas Ekströmer/TT/Shutterstock
Kennedy insisted, “I haven’t done it once,” adding to Eriksson, “You can f–k off.” Eriksson then said, “…Okay, I’ll show you a video after the game.”
“How about you walking around my peel and dancing around the house? How about that? C’mon Oskar, just f–k off,” repeated Kennedy. “…I don’t give a s–t. They were standing here and didn’t call it.”
Curlers must release their stone before it reaches the “hogline,” marked by a thick green line on the ice. If they do not, a red sensor flashes, indicating the fault.
Kennedy was accused of giving his stone another shove with his finger after releasing it, per NBC News.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Ben-Herbert-Marc-Kennedy-Bret-Gallant-Olympics-Curling-021426-4112c11fd5a549a69760ee4961498024.jpg)
Ben Herbert, Marc Kennedy and Brett Gallant of Team Canada.Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty
World Curling communications chief Chris Hamilton confirmed in a statement obtained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that no violations were committed during the match.
“The issue of second touches of the stone, specifically the granite, during the delivery was brought to the umpire’s attention,” the statement read. “Officials spoke with both teams and set game umpires at the hogline to monitor deliveries for three ends, which is the official protocol following this type of complaint. There were no hogline violations or retouches of the stone during the observation period.”
Kennedy said after the game, “I don’t like being accused of cheating after 25 years on tour and four Olympic Games,” per NBC News.
Speaking of his argument with Eriksson, he said, “He’s still accusing us of cheating, and I didn’t like it. So I told him where to stick it, because we’re the wrong team to do that to. So I don’t care. He might have been upset that he was losing.”
PEOPLE has contacted the Swedish and Canadian national curling teams for comment.
News
“I AM MADELEINE.” — A young German woman has stunned the world by unexpectedly declaring live on air that she is Madeleine McCann.
“I AM MADELEINE.” — A young German woman has stunned the world by unexpectedly declaring live on air that she is Madeleine McCann. The emotional moment and the memories she shared immediately went viral, reigniting the global debate surrounding the mysterious disappearance that has lasted for years. Many believe this could be a shocking turning […]
“NO ONE MORE CENT!” — Charles III is rumored to have delivered a “fatal blow,” completely cutting off royal funding for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry…
“NO ONE MORE CENT!” — Charles III is rumored to have delivered a “fatal blow,” completely cutting off royal funding for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. According to rapidly spreading rumors, the King is said to have ordered an end to all financial privileges related to the Sovereign Grant — a move dubbed a “TOTAL […]
In the corner, Jed – the man she had to call father – trembled, clutching his old hunting rifle. The trailer door rattled violently under the pounding from outside…
“She’s Deaf—Take Her!” The Drunk Father Shouted, But Mountain Man Whispered, “I Know You Can Hear…” The Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee in late November presented a bleak and harsh beauty. Thick, dark clouds hung low over the pine trees, bringing with them gusts of biting, bone-chilling wind. Inside the dilapidated trailer, the stench of […]
Behind the wheel sat Liam Hayes. At twenty-eight, he had just completed the sale of his tech startup to a Silicon Valley giant for thirty million dollars.
HE CAME HOME A MILLIONAIRE TO SURPRISE HIS FAMILY… THEN HE SAW TWO “HOMELESS” PEOPLE IN THE RAIN OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE A cold, gray November rain poured down on Willow Creek, Pennsylvania. But inside the cockpit of his new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, everything was warm and perfect. The scent of genuine leather mingled with the fragrance […]
“THEY TURN THE MUR-D;ER..E;R INTO A VI;CTI;;M?” — A PARENT’S LETTERS CAUSE OUTRAGE, THE FAMILIES OF TWO VI….CTI–MS “ERASED” FROM TRA-GED-Y
🚨 “THEY TURN THE MURDERER INTO A VICTIM?” — A PARENT’S LETTERS CAUSE OUTRAGE, THE FAMILIES OF TWO VICTIMS “ERASED” FROM TRAGEDY The letter to the judge is being heavily criticized for focusing solely on the “pain” of the suspect’s parents, instead of the irreparable loss suffered by the victims. Many believe this is proof […]
“Caleb… Caleb…” She could only call his name amidst her sobs, burying her face in the crook of his neck. The wounds on her body seemed to no longer hurt.
Three Years of Beatings and Abuse — Until a Mountain Man Walked Through the Door… The Bitterroot Mountains in Montana never showed mercy to anyone, especially on those stormy December nights. The wind howled through the dark pine trees, lashing against the reinforced glass walls of the secluded wooden mansion. Inside, the air was even […]
End of content
No more pages to load
