Olympic curling committee issues warning after cheating accusations

The Olympic curling committee issued a informing aft a heated combat filled with cheating allegations and audible curse words overshadowed a feisty lucifer betwixt Sweden and Canada.

Canada's Marc Kennedy got offended Friday evening erstwhile helium was accused by Swedish rival Oskar Eriksson of "double touching" — essentially, touching the stone again aft initially releasing it down the expanse of crystal — during Canada's 8-6 triumph successful round-robin play precocious Friday.

Kennedy repeatedly utilized expletives to contradict helium broke immoderate rules. The lucifer came to a little standstill arsenic fingers were pointed and Kennedy argued with members of the Swedish squad crossed the ice.

The World Curling Committee said successful a Saturday connection that they spoke with the Canadian officials to contented a verbal informing regarding the connection utilized by a Canadian men's subordinate during the game. During the meeting, officials said they made it wide that inappropriate connection would beryllium met with further sanctions. 

The governing assemblage added that starting from Saturday's day league - which sees some Canada and Sweden successful enactment - 2 officials volition determination to observing deliveries crossed the 4 matches. 

The 44-year-old Kennedy said aft the altercation, "I don't similar being accused of cheating aft 25 years connected circuit and 4 Olympic Games." 

"So," helium added, "I told him wherever to instrumentality it. Because we're the incorrect squad to bash that to."

Eriksson said helium simply wanted everyone to "play by the aforesaid rules."

"We privation a crippled that is arsenic sportsmanlike, honorable and cleanable arsenic possible," helium said, "so we telephone it retired arsenic soon arsenic I spot that the Canadian No. 2 is, successful my eyes, determination poking the stone."

Canada's Marc Kennedy successful enactment during the men's curling circular robin league against Sweden, astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics. Misper Apawu / AP

The rules authorities that a chromatic indispensable beryllium delivered utilizing the grip that sits connected apical of the stone and that it indispensable beryllium released from the manus earlier it reaches the hog line. At the Olympics, that is the heavy greenish enactment astatine each end.

Replays appeared to amusement Kennedy releasing the chromatic utilizing the handle, past touching it again — this clip connected the granite, not the grip — with an outstretched digit arsenic it approached the hog line, which isn't allowed successful the rules.

In the aboriginal ends of the match, Sweden notified the officials of their complaints. An authoritative past remained astatine the hog enactment for 3 ends to show Canada's curlers and nary violations were recorded, World Curling confirmed successful its connection connected Saturday.

Curling does not usage video replays to reappraisal crippled decisions.

"Decisions made during a crippled are final," World Curling said.

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