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)
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)
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
🚨💔 “RETURNED HOME… THEN LOST HER LIFE: THE TRAGEDY OF A 2-YEAR-OLD GIRL, the truth is even more horrifying than what has been revealed…”
Kelsey Shelton Smith-Briggs died on October 11, 2005, at the home of her mother, Raye Dawn Smith, and her stepfather, Michael Lee Porter, in Meeker, Oklahoma. Her d*ath was ruled a homicide from blunt force trauma to the abdomen.Kelsey Smith Briggs was described as a bubbly ray of sunshine. It is impossible to comprehend how […]
At the trial, the video and audio recording of Athena Strand left the jury speechless: the little girl being put into a van, then frantically asking, “Are you my kidnapper?”
**“THE FINAL QUESTION THAT BROKE THE ENTIRE COURT…”** At the trial, the video and audio recording of Athena Strand left the jury speechless: the little girl being put into a van, then frantically asking, “Are you my kidnapper?” Inside the van, the sounds of crying and pleading for her mother… lingered hauntingly. Her parents had […]
Oakhaven, Wyoming, in the fall of 1895 was a barren place, where the winds carried red dust and the cruel judgment of men.
She was too old for every man—at least, that’s what they all said. Until one broken rancher stepped forward and shattered that lie. “You’re not buying her like cattle.” The Oakhaven Lie Oakhaven, Wyoming, in the fall of 1895 was a barren place, where the winds carried red dust and the cruel judgment of men. […]
Cole Hauser and Gil Birmingham Show Two Very Different Faces of Modern Strength…
In the harsh world of Yellowstone, where violence, power, and loyalty intertwine in a complex web, the concept of “power” is never defined in a single way. And perhaps no pair of characters exemplifies this better than the contrast between Rip Wheeler—played by Cole Hauser—and Thomas Rainwater, portrayed by Gil Birmingham. Two men, two ways […]
Do You Like Rebecca in Landman? In the demanding world of Landman, Rebecca stands out as a character whose strength does not depend on being the loudest voice in the room.
In the harsh portrayal of the oil industry that *Landman* depicts, where power is often demonstrated through pressure, money, and life-or-death decisions, the appearance of *Rebecca* creates an interesting contrast. She doesn’t enter the frame as a traditionally “overbearing” character. There are no ostentatious displays of power, no dialogue aimed at dominating the screen. But […]
Riley Green Just Stole the Show in Marshals — But Can Garrett Be Trusted?
Riley Green’s appearance in *Marshals: A Yellowstone Story* was supposed to be just a pleasant highlight—a surprise cameo intended to refresh the film’s pace. But the latest episode proves otherwise: this isn’t a decorative addition, but a pivot that could alter the entire narrative’s trajectory. And Garrett, from his very first appearance, carries a feeling […]
End of content
No more pages to load
