CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Controversy abounds in curling at the Winter Olympics, and the focus is on whether the powerful Canadian team cheated.
Both the men’s and women’s teams are now accused of the same violation: touching the stone twice after it was released.
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The historic curling power found its pride bruised. The mixed doubles team wasn’t even in contention for medals, and the women’s team couldn’t afford to lose any more games if they wanted to advance.
Here’s a look at the entire controversy and why it broke out:
What’s happening at Cortina Curling Center
Swedish curler Oscar Eriksson on Friday accused Canadian curler Mark Kennedy of breaking the rules by touching the rock again after releasing the stone from the ice. Kennedy flew into a rage and cursed.
This comes after a video shot by Swedish public broadcaster SVT circulated on social media, showing Kennedy apparently touching twice. Still, he maintains his innocence. Canada won the game 8-6.
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Later Saturday, a referee accused Canada captain Rachel Homan of the same infraction during Canada’s game against Switzerland. The referee stopped the game and the stone was removed from the game. Homan looked shocked and denied the accusation.
Video circulating on social media shows her double-tapping again. Canada lost to Switzerland 8-7.
There is a rule against double touching
After causing an uproar, the World Curling Association clarified that double taps were not allowed, issuing a statement: “It is not permitted to touch the granite of the stone during forward motion. This will result in the stone being removed from play.”
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This is what Canadians say
Asked about the video, Kennedy said: “If someone said to you, ‘Hey, have you been double-tapping?’ Honestly, in that moment, I couldn’t even tell you if I did or not.”
He then suggested the whole thing might have been “a premeditated plan to try to catch us.”
“They had a plan in place to catch the team red-handed,” Kennedy said.
Homan, meanwhile, believes she has been unfairly targeted because of the controversy over the men.
“I don’t understand the call. I never will. We’ve never done this,” she said. “This has nothing to do with us.”
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Why this is a big story
Despite the fierce competition, curling has a quiet camaraderie, despite the scandals (see: Broomgate, a sweeping-related headache that World Curling believed it had resolved last June). So when accusations of cheating come up, it stands out.
Canada is also curling’s top nation, undoubtedly its largest market and where its largest non-Olympic competitions tend to be held. They feel their integrity is under attack in front of a global audience at the Olympics, which promote the values of respect and friendship.
Athletes playing for Canada and Sweden have been close on the ice in the past – they were huge rivals, sure, but admired each other’s curling skills. Now, there’s clear animosity between the two teams, which is fun for casual viewers but a sad blow to the curling community.
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what’s next
Canada’s curling team is one place they don’t want to be stuck in the Winter Olympics: Not only will they have their skills questioned, “and we’ll make some adjustments in release if necessary,” Kennedy said, “but we’ll be competing for medals this weekend.”
In Saturday’s only game, Kennedy’s field goal percentage was the worst of four Canadian players, according to tournament statistics. The Canadian team lost 9-5 to the Swiss team it was expected to beat.
All eyes are now on both teams. The Canadian men won’t face Sweden again until the semifinals if both teams advance, which will be must-see television whether you’re a curling fan or not.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics