Canadian Curlers at Center of Heated Milan Cortina Controversy
Canada’s curling teams find themselves at the center of an intensifying cheating scandal at the Milan Cortina Olympics, with allegations of improper stone delivery techniques sparking heated confrontations and prompting swift action from the sport’s international governing body.
The Double-Touching Dispute
The controversy centers on what curlers call “double-touching”—when players touch the stone again after releasing it, a violation of curling rules that prohibits contact with the granite after the initial release. The allegations have now ensnared both Canada’s men’s and women’s teams, putting a spotlight on the technical nuances of the sport.
Canada’s Marc Kennedy first faced accusations from Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson during Friday’s round-robin match, which Canada won 8-6. Kennedy responded with expletives, repeatedly denying any wrongdoing. Video replays appeared to show Kennedy touching the stone with his finger as it approached the hog line, though he maintained his innocence.
“I don’t like being accused of cheating after 25 years on tour and four Olympic Games,” Kennedy said, before telling Eriksson where to stick his accusation. The outburst prompted World Curling to issue Kennedy a verbal warning for his language, though officials confirmed that when they positioned a monitor at the hog line for three ends, no violations were recorded.
Women’s Team Penalized for Same Infraction
The controversy escalated Saturday when Canada’s Rachel Homan was penalized for the identical violation. An official ruled that Homan had touched the stone after releasing it during her team’s round-robin loss to Switzerland. Homan vehemently protested the call, with broadcast microphones capturing her fiery denial.
“Like, absolutely not. Zero percent chance I double touched the rock,” Homan said. Video replay, however, appeared to show her finger grazing the stone after release. Under Canadian curling cheating allegations now swirling around the Olympic Games, the call stood—curling does not permit video review of officiating decisions.
World Curling Responds with Rule Clarifications
Following the Friday night incident, World Curling released a detailed statement clarifying delivery rules and announcing enhanced oversight. Beginning with Saturday’s sessions, two officials now observe all stone deliveries instead of one, a direct response to the allegations.
The governing body emphasized that while “game umpires are situated at the end of each sheet,” they cannot see every delivery infraction. World Curling also sent clarification emails to all Olympic curling teams explaining proper stone release technique and warning of stricter monitoring moving forward.
The Bigger Picture
Switzerland has emerged as the sole unbeaten team at Milan Cortina after defeating Canada 9-5 in their men’s match Saturday, benefiting from the controversy that has overshadowed the traditionally sedate sport. Kennedy later expressed regret about his outburst, acknowledging his role as a mentor to young curlers while maintaining the Swiss “premeditated” their accusations to catch teams in violations.
As both Canada and Switzerland prepare for medal rounds as favorites, the curling competitions at Milan Cortina have become defined by controversy as much as competition, forcing the sport to confront questions about rule enforcement and athlete conduct at the Olympic stage.
