Canada’s curling team snatched Olympic gold from the jaws of a cheating scandal that threatened to tarnish their legacy in the sport’s most gentlemanly arena.
Story Snapshot
- Brad Jacobs’ squad defeated Great Britain 9-6 for gold on February 21, 2026, at Milano Cortina Olympics.
- Accusations of double-touching by Marc Kennedy sparked fury from Sweden and Switzerland during round-robin.
- World Curling cleared Canada after observations, exposing umpiring flaws in high-stakes play.
- Victory marked Canada’s fourth men’s curling gold, redeeming heated public feud and expletive exchanges.
Hog Line Rule Ignites Olympic Firestorm
Curling originated in 16th-century Scotland as a test of precision and honor. Players sweep 42-pound granite stones toward a target house on ice. The hog line rule demands release by the handle before crossing the line, barring double-touching where the stone re-contacts post-release. Umpires station at sheet ends, unable to fully monitor hog lines without video replay, which rules prohibit to maintain game flow. Canada’s unbeaten streak in Milano Cortina 2026 round-robin drew intense eyes.
February 13 Clash: Sweden Levels Accusation
Canada beat Sweden 8-6 on February 13, 2026. Sweden skip Oskar Eriksson accused Marc Kennedy of double-touching at the hog line. Kennedy fired back with an expletive, denying intent and claiming Sweden plotted to “catch teams.” Both sides appealed; results stood. Tensions boiled in the interdependent round-robin where every team faces all others. This public spat shattered curling’s quiet dispute norms.
February 14 Escalation and Counterclaims
Canada countered by accusing Sweden of improper hog line filming on February 14. Sweden blamed public broadcasters. Switzerland joined, alleging Canadian double-touching. Umpires removed a stone from Canada’s women’s team, skipped by Rachel Homan, in their match against Switzerland—Homan denied “granite touch.” Britain faced irony: Bobby Lammie lost a stone versus Germany for the same infraction, yet advanced.
World Curling Steps In with Observations
World Curling responded post-February 14 by assigning officials to observe games closely. Umpires monitored three ends per claim, recording no violations. They doubled umpiring to two per session and ruled video replay or dedicated hog line stations unfeasible. Observations cleared Canada’s men’s team of formal sanctions. Enhanced scrutiny equalized pressure across nations, aligning with fair play principles conservatives champion.
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Gold Medal Redemption on February 21
Brad Jacobs led teammates Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert to a 9-6 gold medal win over Bruce Mouat’s Great Britain on February 21 at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. This secured Canada’s fourth Olympic men’s curling gold—first since 2014 against Britain. Celebrations highlighted vindication. Britain claimed silver, prolonging pain from Beijing 2022. No further violations emerged.
Scandal’s Lasting Ripples in Curling World
The controversy spiked curling’s mainstream visibility, challenging its “gentleman’s game” image. Short-term, Olympics saw ramped-up umpiring. Long-term, experts like Kevin Kibbles of Chicago Curling Club foresee potential hog line camera debates, though tradition resists replay. Fans debated ethics; Kennedy’s reputation rebounded. Viewership surged on BBC and TNT, proving scandal sells even niche sports.
Sources:
Canadian men’s curling team wins gold medal after being embroiled in cheating controversy
Olympic curling final controversy explained
