Ask Onix
Curling clash sparks accusations of cheating at Winter Olympics
Tensions flared in the Cortina Curling Stadium after Sweden accused Canada of repeatedly breaking the rules during a high-stakes match, igniting a debate over officiating and sportsmanship at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Heated exchange leads to viral footage
The dispute began on Friday when Canada's Marc Kennedy and Sweden's Oskar Eriksson engaged in a heated argument following Canada's 8-6 victory. Sweden alleged Kennedy had double-touched his stones-releasing the handle properly but then nudging the stone with his finger to adjust its path, a violation of curling rules.
Despite the accusations, the match's outcome stood after both teams signed the scorecards, a tradition in curling where players self-govern decisions. World Curling later confirmed that in-game rulings are final and that video replays are not used to overturn calls. Kennedy received only a minor penalty for swearing.
However, Eriksson's post-match promise to "show you the video after" proved prophetic. Footage circulating online appeared to confirm the violation, raising questions about its origins. Canadian officials suggested the Swedes had orchestrated a sting operation, secretly filming the incident in a sport built on trust.
Controversy spreads as more teams report violations
The drama escalated the following day when Switzerland reported Kennedy for the same offense during Canada's 9-5 win. Again, no action was taken. With tensions rising, World Curling announced it would station additional officials to monitor for double-touching for the remainder of the Games.
The new oversight quickly led to penalties for other athletes, including Canada's Rachel Homan and Great Britain's Bobby Lammie. Both incidents involved accidental contact-a lingering finger brushing the stone after release-rather than deliberate cheating. Teams criticized the inconsistent enforcement, prompting World Curling to revise the protocol on Sunday. Under the new rules, teams could request monitoring for suspected violations, though execution remained uneven.
Calls for modernizing curling's officiating grow
The controversy has reignited discussions about curling's reliance on traditional officiating methods. While the sport uses electric sensors to detect hog-line violations, it has resisted broader adoption of video technology. Team GB's Hammy McMillan Jr. suggested introducing systems like VAR or Hawk-Eye, with teams granted a limited number of challenges per match.
"You bring in VAR or Hawk-Eye and each team gets a challenge or two, so you've got to be dead certain that somebody did that [violation]. I think that would be quite cool, it would maybe make curling a bit more modernized."
Hammy McMillan Jr., Team GB lead
McMillan argued that video review could reduce disputes and align curling with other sports that use technology to ensure fairness.
What's next for Olympic curling?
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina continue through February 22, with curling matches streaming live on BBC platforms (UK only). The fallout from the double-touching scandal may prompt long-term changes to the sport's rules, though World Curling has not yet announced any formal reviews.
