Canada's Team Brad Jacobs secured an 8-6 victory over Sweden's defending champions Team Niklas Edin in men's curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics, maintaining their undefeated 3-0 record. The win was overshadowed by a heated exchange in the ninth end, where Sweden accused Canada of double-touching stones after the hog line. Profanity ensued as Canadian third Marc Kennedy denied the claims from Swedish third Oskar Eriksson.
The match took place on February 13, 2026, at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, during the round-robin stage of the men's curling event. Canada entered the game after a morning 6-3 win over the United States, stealing two points in the eighth end to force an early concession. Against Sweden, who started the tournament 0-2, Jacobs' team built momentum with a crucial four-point eighth end, taking a 7-4 lead after Edin's wide shot attempt.
Tensions escalated early when Sweden raised concerns about Canadian deliveries, prompting officials to station a hog line umpire for six ends. No violations were noted during this period. The dispute peaked between the ninth and tenth ends as players cleared the house. Eriksson accused Kennedy of touching the stone's granite after releasing the handle, saying, "Apparently it’s OK touching the rock after the hog line." Kennedy responded, "I haven’t done it once. You can f— off," and countered by questioning Swedish movement during his shots.
Eriksson offered to show video evidence post-game, claiming the touch occurred two meters over the hog line. Electronic handles on stones, introduced for the Olympics, flash red for violations but did not activate here, as Sweden alleged contact was with the granite, not the sensor-equipped handle.
Post-match, World Curling stated that umpires observed three additional ends with no hog line violations or retouches. Kennedy, a two-time Olympic medallist, expressed frustration: "I don’t like being accused of cheating after 25 years on tour and four Olympic Games." He added respect for Eriksson but viewed the claims as "grasping for straws" from a struggling Sweden. Edin lamented the incident, saying, "It’s sad to see in a sport where it’s a lot about sportsmanship... the umpires do nothing about it. That’s interesting to me."
Canada's coach Paul Webster dismissed the allegations as a distraction tactic. Jacobs praised his team's composure, noting, "We’re not going to have it." Sweden, 0-3, faces a tough recovery, while Canada prepares for Great Britain on February 14. Both teams shook hands after the game, underscoring their long history of competition.
