“WE DIDN’T CHEAT — AND WE WON’T STAY SILENT.”
“WE DIDN’T CHEAT — AND WE WON’T STAY SILENT.” Brad Gushue has forcefully responded after members of the Sweden men’s national curling team allegedly questioned the legitimacy of Canada’s performance, igniting a wave of controversy across the curling world. What began as visible post-match tension reportedly escalated when murmurs about ice conditions and equipment choices evolved into more pointed insinuations. Sources close to the event say discussions started almost immediately after the final stones were delivered, with suggestions that external factors may have influenced the outcome. Gushue, a veteran skip with years of international credibility, made it clear that any implication of unfair advantage crosses a line. He emphasized that Canada’s execution — from weight control to strategic stone placement — was the product of preparation and experience, not manipulation. Insiders also point to a tense off-camera exchange between members of both camps, a brief confrontation that has yet to be fully detailed but is believed to have heightened emotions. Now the situation has moved beyond a single result. Former players, analysts, and fans are debating not just the scoreboard, but the broader principles of sportsmanship and respect that underpin elite curling. The central question is no longer simply who won — but whether trust between two powerhouse programs has been strained in a way that may linger.
Canadian curler fires back at Sweden after cheating accusations as drama explodes
Canadian curler Marc Kennedy fired back at accusations by Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson that he cheated.
Canada beat Sweden 8-6 in Friday’s Olympic match, but a controversy sparked a heated moment between the two teams.
Eriksson accused Kennedy of breaking the rules by “double-touching” — touching the stone a second time with his finger after releasing it to gain an advantage.
Footage shows Kennedy did appear to touch the stone a second time with his finger.
“I’m not even going there,” Kennedy said when asked about the footage. “I’ve never even known that to be a concern before. It’s never ever come up in conversation.“And if somebody said to you, ‘Hey, do you double-touch all the time?’ I honestly, in that split second of a moment, I couldn’t even tell you if I do or not.”
Then Kennedy pointed the finger the other way toward the Swedes, saying their accusations were “premeditated planning to try to catch us” since the two countries are two of the favorites in the competition.
“They’ve come up with a plan to catch teams in the act,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy and Eriksson got into a profanity-laced back-and-forth during Friday’s match when the latter made the accusation.
“I haven’t done it once,” Kennedy responded. “You can f–k off.”
Eriksson shot back that he’d show him video after the game that shows his double-touch.
“We want to play a fair-and-square game, like you follow the rules,” Eriksson said. “And if we see something that’s not following the rules, we tell the opponents or the official. This time we did both.”