Canada Curling Scandal Shakes Winter Olympics with Widespread Cheating Claims
The Winter Olympics in Cortina has been thrown into turmoil by a major cheating scandal centered on Canada's curling teams, with allegations of illegal stone touching spreading rapidly across both men's and women's competitions. The controversy erupted during Friday's match between Canada and Sweden, setting off a chain of accusations that has now ensnared multiple nations, including Great Britain.
How the Scandal Began: Canada vs Sweden Confrontation
The drama started when Sweden's Oskar Eriksson accused Canadian curler Marc Kennedy of "double-touching" a stone after its release during their Olympic clash. This practice, where a player illegally touches the stone with their hand post-release, can subtly alter its direction and placement on the ice. Kennedy vehemently denied the allegations, leading to a heated exchange between the two athletes that escalated into an expletive-laden argument on the ice sheet.
Kennedy's outburst, which included telling Eriksson to "f*** off," resulted in a verbal warning from curling officials. Despite his denials, video footage from Swedish broadcaster SVT later appeared to show Kennedy touching the stone after the hog line, contradicting his initial claims. In a post-match statement, Kennedy expressed regret for his language but stood by his defense of his team, suggesting the incident was part of a deliberate plan to catch teams in the act.
Scandal Spreads to Women's Competition and Team GB
Just one day after the men's incident, the Canadian women's team became embroiled in similar allegations during their defeat to Switzerland. Skip Rachel Homan was accused of double-touching her first delivery, which was subsequently removed from play. Homan reacted with frustration, insisting she had not violated any rules and criticizing the umpire's decision as absurd.
The scandal further expanded to include Great Britain's men's team, with Bobby Lammie judged to have brushed a stone with his finger during a win over Germany, resulting in its removal. This pattern of accusations has created an atmosphere of paranoia across the Olympic curling events, with teams now under intense scrutiny.
Understanding the Rules: What Constitutes Illegal Touching
World Curling has clarified the regulations in response to the controversy. According to the rules, players may retouch the stone's handle as many times as they wish before it crosses the hog line. However, touching the handle after the hog line is strictly prohibited and results in the stone being removed from play. Additionally, touching the granite part of the stone during forward motion is not allowed and leads to the same penalty.
The governing body also noted that while in-game video replays are not used for monitoring, officials are present at Olympic matches to oversee deliveries when requested by teams. This scandal highlights the fine margins in curling and the intense pressure at the highest level of competition.
