The tensions are rising in the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s 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 Kennedy’s throws. Canadian lead Ben Hebert also consulted an official to monitor Eriksson’s 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 men’s 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?
“We tried to play an honest and a fair game and it’s been on the wall, the last couple of years… 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,” he said.
“There’s only one part where it is and so you touch anything else, it’s a burnt rock, with your hand or foot or broom.. it’s a burnt rock”
Oskar Eriksson: “We tried to play an honest and a fair game.”
Marc Kennedy: “Total horsesh–… 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/C6FywD2JEI pic.twitter.com/ywZM3Myf1c
— Rock Channel (@rockchannelcurl) February 14, 2026
What did Kennedy say after the game?
“Oskar Eriksson is a wonderful player, and we have a ton of respect for him… he was just accusing us of cheating, and doing something we shouldn’t be doing, which is total horseshit.”
“We didn’t like it. We’re the wrong team to accuse of cheating in the ninth end of a game.”
“They were 0-2, they were grasping for straws trying to stay alive. I think that’s all it was… I think it’s just the wrong team to do it to today.”
Long rivalry
Edin is a seven-time World Champion and 2022 Olympic gold medalist. He is in last place in the Olympic men’s curling tournament in Cortina. Kennedy is an Olympic gold medalist from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and is Canada’s oldest Olympian in 2026. Canadian skip Brad Jacobs won curling gold for Canada in Sochi in 2014.
