Canadian curler responds to viral cheating allegations: 'They were trying to catch us in an act'

The curling cheating scandal that has rocked the 2026 Winter Olympics has the Canadian team accusing Sweden of illegal filming.

Canada’s Team Brad Jacobs defeated Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin 8-6 on Friday, but the win included a viral moment that had the internet ablaze with cheating allegations.

'I know we're not the only team that they've done that to.'

Canadian Marc Kennedy had an intense altercation with Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson, who accused him of double-touching his stone after releasing it at the official line, called the hog line.

Photos and videos circulated online showing Kennedy's pointer finger appearing to commit the foul, but the intent and his finger's ability to influence the approximately 42-pound object has been up for debate.

Now, Kennedy has told reporters that he believes Sweden was setting his team up.

"They have come up with a plan here at the Olympics, as far as I know, to catch teams in the act at the hog line," Kennedy told reporters, per the National Post. "This was planned, right from the word go yesterday. From the words that were being said by their coaches and the way they were running to the officials, it was kind of evident that something was going on, and they were trying to catch us in an act."

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Curling Canada CEO Nolan Thiessen claimed Sweden took video that violated filming rules in Olympic venues, citing that only Olympic Broadcasting Services is allowed to take footage. He said the allegedly incriminating footage was "outside of OBS rules."

OBS said it did not produce the footage, but that anyone who is properly accredited with broadcast rights can film inside the venue.

Canadian Coach Paul Webster said the "game was afoot" and accused a "Swedish fan or Swedish official" of possibly filming from the stands.

"So they've got people up there videoing, and that whole thing was premeditated and planned," Webster added.

"They were there, ready at the hog line, video recording."

Sweden's Eden reportedly replied to the allegations and said "absolutely not."

"We've been saying this for maybe seven, eight years or something," Eden went on. "The media crew decided to place the camera on the hog line to see what was happening, to explain it to the people watching. It was Swedish media. The people covering the game that did that, we were told, at least. I have no idea, but that's what we were told afterwards."

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On Sunday, Canada's women's team was hit with a double-touching violation in their match against Switzerland, prompting even more rumors.

"Apparently everyone knew that Canada was cheating," sports podcaster Dan Katz said on Monday, citing insider reports. "Sweden had their own broadcast cameras basically set up on the hog line to catch them in the act. Then they called them out on it."

Canada's Kennedy added fuel to the fire, saying, "I know we're not the only team that they’ve done that to," in terms of filming. "So I think this was — I don't know what the word is for that — but like a premeditated plan to try to catch us."

Coach Webster also claimed Sweden "actually had videos for the Italian team as well."

Great Britain has since been accused of the double-touching violation.

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