‘I told him where to stick it’: Cheating claims fly in Canada v Sweden Winter Olympics curling clash

Tempers boiled over in Cortina as Brad Jacobs’ Canadian rink edged Niklas Edin’s Swedes 8-6 in a round-robin game on Friday (ET), a match overshadowed by accusations that Canadian players were double-touching stones after release and a profanity-laced confrontation between team members.

Early complaints halt play

The dispute began in the opening ends when Swedish players halted play to raise concerns that Canadian curlers were touching stones after release. Officials paused the game and agreed to watch deliveries closely; both teams then requested similar scrutiny of the other side. The intervention set a tense tone that persisted throughout the contest.

What the allegation means: the double-touch claim

Sweden’s players alleged that Canada's third was touching the running surface of the rock after releasing the handle — a move opponents said bypassed the electronic hog-line detector built into the handle. This “double-touch” claim centers on the rule that a stone must be delivered with the handle and released before crossing the hog line; touching the stone after release is prohibited.

Electronic handles, sensors and interpretation

For these Games, each stone is fitted with an electronic handle that interacts with sensors embedded in the ice. Handles flash green when a proper release is recorded and red if a player still has contact past the hog line. Sweden argued players could touch parts of the stone that are not monitored by the sensor, so the device might not register the contact. Video replays appeared to show an extra finger nudge in some deliveries, though the handles for the contested stones flashed green during play.

Heated exchange between Kennedy and Eriksson

The match came to a head in the penultimate end after Sweden scored two to make the game 7-6. An on-ice confrontation between Canada’s Marc Kennedy and Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson included accusations and sharp words. Kennedy later defended his reaction, saying he has competed professionally for 25 years and took offense at being accused of cheating. He told Eriksson to "where to stick it" in a remark that drew attention beyond the sheet.

Officials’ monitoring and the ruling

Umpires were stationed at the hog line to observe deliveries for three ends once the issue was raised. Their observation determined there were no hog-line violations or retouches during that period. Officials chose not to remove stones or overturn play, and no post-game protest was upheld to change the result, leaving the 8-6 scoreline intact.

Aftermath and implications for both teams

Canada’s victory keeps its campaign moving, while Sweden, the defending Olympic champions, dropped to 0-3 early in the round-robin. The episode highlighted friction over new technology and the limits of in-ice sensors to capture every infraction players believe they see. Skips on both sides expressed disappointment that longstanding professional relationships among top curlers were strained by the dispute; one Swedish skip described the scene as a sad detour from competing strictly by the rules.

The incident raises questions about enforcement when electronic systems and player observation clash, and it underscores how even a traditionally measured sport can erupt into controversy under Olympic pressure. Tournament officials will likely continue monitoring deliveries closely as the field advances.