Marc Kennedy from Canada has received a verbal warning from the World Curling Federation for shouting 'fuck off' at Swedish player Oskar Eriksson during the Olympic match in Cortina. The Swedes accused the Canadians of a rule-breaking double touch, confirmed by TV footage. The dispute has resulted in stricter judging rules for the rest of the tournament.
The Olympic curling match between Sweden and Canada in Cortina on Friday evening escalated into a dispute. Canada won 8–6, but the Swedish team, Lag Edin, accused their opponents of breaking rules by touching stones after release, known as a double touch. Marc Kennedy reacted strongly to the accusations, shouting 'fuck off' twice at vice-skipper Oskar Eriksson.
Kennedy regrets his language but insists he did not cheat intentionally. 'If it happens, it's not something I'm aware of or do to steer the stone,' he said after viewing SVT TV footage showing his index finger touching the granite. He meanwhile accused the Swedes of setting a trap with a camera in the stands. Swedish skipper Niklas Edin denies this: 'We absolutely did not place any camera. It was probably the media (SVT) that placed a camera to show the viewers.'
The World Curling Federation issued a verbal warning to Kennedy and the team for inappropriate conduct, with potential sanctions for repetition. The federation quotes the rulebook: 'Unsportsmanlike conduct, foul or abusive language... is prohibited.' From Saturday's matches, two additional judges will monitor stone releases, and teams have received clarification on the rules.
Edin emphasizes that the criticism targets a broader issue in the sport. 'We have pointed this out for many years... It's a shame it takes an Olympics for this to come to light,' he says. Swedish Curling Federation chairman Michael Marklund calls the Canadians' behavior ungentlemanly: 'I don't think so, but they might have been provoked by us too.'
Sweden, the reigning Olympic champions, started the tournament with three losses but defeated China on Saturday and faces the USA next.
