The tensions are rising in theย 2026 Winter Olympicsย menโs curling competition between Canada and Sweden. On Friday, Swedish third Oskar Eriksson accused Canadian third Marc Kennedy of touching his stone after releasing it.
Eriksson consulted an official to monitor Kennedyโs throws. Canadian lead Ben Hebert also consulted an official to monitor Erikssonโs throws.
Canada was victorious in the contest by a score of 8-6, but the confrontation among thirds at the end of the ninth end was the biggest news in the match and in the entire menโs Olympic curling tournament to date. The dialogue included swearing from Kennedy on the ice and exchanges off the ice in the media zone.
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Eriksson claimed to have video evidence that the cheating existed. Kennedy was furious about the allegations.
Canada and Sweden got into it at the games today. There was no language barrier as Mark Kennedy had some choice words for Oskar Eriksson.
What did Eriksson say after the game?
โWe tried to play an honest and a fair game and itโs been on the wall, the last couple of yearsโฆ people are touching the rock after the hog line and even before the hog line and the only part that you can touch is the handle,โ he said.
โThereโs only one part where it is and so you touch anything else, itโs a burnt rock, with your hand or foot or broom.. itโs a burnt rockโ
Oskar Eriksson: “We tried to play an honest and a fair game.”
Marc Kennedy: “Total horseshโโฆ we’re the wrong team to accuse of cheating.”
A full video breakdown of the Sweden-Canada curling drama via CBC is available here.https://t.co/C6FywD2JEIย pic.twitter.com/ywZM3Myf1c
โ Rock Channel (@rockchannelcurl)ย February 14, 2026
What did Kennedy say after the game?
โOskar Eriksson is a wonderful player, and we have a ton of respect for himโฆ he was just accusing us of cheating, and doing something we shouldnโt be doing, which is total horseshit.โ
โWe didnโt like it. Weโre the wrong team to accuse of cheating in the ninth end of a game.โ
โThey were 0-2, they were grasping for straws trying to stay alive. I think thatโs all it wasโฆ I think itโs just the wrong team to do it to today.โ
Long rivalry
Edin is a seven-time World Champion and 2022 Olympic gold medalist. He is in last place in the Olympic menโs curling tournament in Cortina. Kennedy is an Olympic gold medalist from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and is Canadaโs oldest Olympian in 2026. Canadian skip Brad Jacobs won curling gold for Canada in Sochi in 2014.
