Curling is usually the one sport where you expect whispered strategy and polite handshakes. That tradition went out the window today at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. What started as a high stakes round robin match between Canada and Sweden devolved into a scene more fitting for a hockey rink than a curling sheet. It was a raw, unfiltered moment that has the Olympic world buzzing about whether the spirit of the game has been permanently iced.
Olympic Curling F Bomb: Marc Kennedy Tells Sweden to Fuck Off
Aren't Canadians supposed to be friendly?🥲
#Canada #sweden #curling #beef #cheating pic.twitter.com/6vIEofPbHt
— M (@dolittleDuchEs) February 13, 2026
The moment that went viral within minutes occurred between the ninth and tenth ends. Marc Kennedy, the third for Team Canada, was caught on a hot mic during a heated exchange with Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson. After ends of chirping and accusations of foul play, the tension finally snapped. When Eriksson suggested they review video of Kennedy allegedly touching a moving stone, Kennedy didn’t hold back. He told the Swede to f***, twice, while accusing the Swedish team of dancing around the house to distract his teammates during their shots.
Here’s how the exchange went down:
Oskar Eriksson: “I can show you the video after the game [of you touching the stone].”
Marc Kennedy: “I haven’t done it once. You can fuck off.”
Oskar Eriksson: “You haven’t done it once, touching the rock?”
Marc Kennedy: “I haven’t done it once! Don’t chirp.”
Oskar Eriksson: [Calmly] “I’ll show you a video after the game.”
Marc Kennedy: “How about you walking around on my peel last end, dancing around in the house here? How about that? Come on, Oskar, just fuck off.”
This was not just a quiet mumble. It was a clear, defiant shout that echoed through the arena and directly into the living rooms of millions of viewers. For a sport that prides itself on being the pinnacle of sportsmanship, seeing a veteran like Kennedy lose his cool in such a public fashion was a shock to the system. It was a side of the Canadian rink that fans rarely see, stripping away the polite veneer of the Winter Games.
Curling Double Touch Rules: The Cheating Allegations Sparking the Fire
canada cheating in curling 🙄 #canada #curling #cheating pic.twitter.com/bNO568hOXu
— M (@dolittleDuchEs) February 13, 2026
The verbal fireworks didn’t happen in a vacuum. The beef was fueled by accusations of double touching, a serious violation in curling where a player touches the stone after its initial release. Sweden’s Niklas Edin had been in the ear of the officials since the second end, claiming the Canadians were using their fingers to guide the granite stones. In a sport that is largely self policed, an accusation like this is essentially a claim of blatant cheating.
Canada fired back with their own claims, alleging that the Swedes were the ones interfering with the rocks. Ben Hebert, the Canadian lead, was heard telling officials to keep a close eye on Eriksson for the exact same infraction. By the time the final ends rolled around, the players were no longer focused on the scoreboard. They were focused on each other. Every slide and every sweep was met with a glare, creating an atmosphere so thick with animosity that a blowup was inevitable.
World Curling Emails Teams About Proper Release Rule After Olympic Delivery Controversy
JUST IN
World Curling has sent an email to all the teams competing at the Olympics clarifying “proper release” of the stone.
Also, for the remaining games umpires will be “observing the delivery”
Here’s the full correspondence: pic.twitter.com/E3IrZwMjY5
— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) February 14, 2026
World Curling told teams it wanted to “clarify what is allowed as a proper release of a curling stone.” In its communication, the federation stated that “a double touch of the stone handle before the hog line at the delivery end is allowed.” However, it stressed that “a re-touch of the stone handle after the hog line at the delivery end is not allowed and detected by the new handles.”
The governing body also wrote that “a stone must be delivered by using the handle of the stone,” adding that “touching the granite at any time during the forward motion is not allowed and considered a touched moving stone,” which results in removal from play. For the remainder of the Games, umpires will be “observing the delivery,” and any Rule R5(d) violation “will need removed from play with no further warning.”
Marc Kennedy Issued Verbal Warning Under World Curling Inappropriate Behaviour Rule
World Curling has issued a verbal warning against Canada’s Marc Kennedy.
“Further inappropriate behaviour … would result in additional sanctions”
Here’s the official release by World Curling. pic.twitter.com/FUiIyh4Kmp
— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) February 14, 2026
In a separate release titled “Inappropriate Behaviour,” World Curling confirmed it “spoke with the Canadian officials to issue a verbal warning regarding the language used by a Canadian men’s player during the game.” It added that further inappropriate behaviour, as determined by Rule R19, “would result in additional sanctions.”
Rule R19 states that “improper conduct, foul or offensive language, equipment abuse, or wilful damage on the part of any team member is prohibited,” and that “any violation may result in suspension of the offending person(s) by the curling organisation having jurisdiction.”
Canada vs Sweden Curling Results: Jacobs Wins as Edin Stumbles
While the insults are what people will remember, there was an actual game played on the ice. Brad Jacobs and his Canadian squad managed to keep their focus just long enough to secure an 8-6 victory. The win moves Canada to a perfect 3-0 record, putting them in the driver’s seat for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Swedish team, usually the gold standard of international curling, is off to a disastrous 0-3 start.
Canada are the favorites to take down the title with top sportsbooks.
The loss clearly stung for the Swedes, who stayed on the ice to continue the argument even after the final stones were delivered. The World Curling Federation now has a massive headache on its hands. While the win stands for Canada, the governing body will have to decide if Kennedy’s language or the mutual accusations of cheating warrant disciplinary action. For now, the “gentleman’s game” has a very different reputation in Milano Cortina.
