EXCLUSIVE: The normally genteel world of curling has erupted into fury at the 2026 Winter Olympics after Canada’s star player Marc Kennedy unleashed a profanity-laced tirade at Swedish rival Oskar Eriksson, telling him to “f—k off” — not once, but twice — during a heated on-ice showdown.

The ugly spat unfolded on Friday, February 13, at the historic Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Italy, where Canada edged Sweden 8-6 in the men’s event. But the real drama wasn’t the score — it was the explosive accusation that Kennedy, a four-time Olympian with 25 years on the tour, had illegally “double-touched” his stone, giving his team an unfair edge in the high-stakes battle.

According to furious Swedish third Oskar Eriksson, Kennedy touched the granite of the curling stone with his finger after releasing it, a blatant violation of the rules that could have added precious inches to the rock’s journey down the ice.

“Apparently, it’s alright touching the rock after the hogline,” Eriksson snapped at Kennedy after complaining to officials, as captured in viral footage that has sent shockwaves through the sport.

Kennedy fired back furiously: “Who? It’s a couple,” Eriksson shot back. “I haven’t done it once,” Kennedy insisted. “You can f—k off.”

Eriksson pressed on: “…Okay, I’ll show you a video after the game.”

Kennedy doubled down: “How about you walking around my peel and dancing around the house? How about that? C’mon Oskar, just f—k off. …I don’t give a s—t. They were standing here and didn’t call it.”

The exchange, broadcast live and replayed endlessly online, has left curling fans stunned. The sport, long celebrated for its “gentleman’s game” ethos of honesty and sportsmanship, suddenly feels tainted.

But insiders say this isn’t just a one-off spat — it’s the tip of a much darker iceberg. Multiple sources close to the international curling scene have told DailyMail.com that “double-touching” — specifically touching the granite (not just the handle) after release — has been a whispered “open secret” among elite teams for years.

One veteran curler, speaking anonymously, revealed: “It’s not about massive advantages — we’re talking fractions of an inch. But at Olympic level, where every millimeter counts, that tiny push can turn a light throw into a perfect draw or add weight to a takeout. The sensor in the handle catches late releases, but it doesn’t detect a sneaky finger on the granite. That’s why it’s so insidious — and why teams get away with it.”

World Curling’s rules are crystal clear: The stone “must be delivered using the handle,” and any re-touch of the granite during forward motion is forbidden. Violation? The stone is removed from play. Yet in the Canada-Sweden match, officials monitored deliveries for three ends after the complaint but found no violations during that period.

Kennedy, visibly shaken post-match, defended his honor: “I don’t like being accused of cheating after 25 years on tour and four Olympic Games. He’s still accusing us of cheating, and I didn’t like it. So I told him where to stick it, because we’re the wrong team to do that to.”

The controversy didn’t stop there. The next day, Canada’s women’s skip Rachel Homan faced similar accusations in her match against Switzerland — with video evidence purportedly showing a double-touch that led to her stone being burned (removed).

Even Britain’s men’s team has been dragged into the scandal, with clips circulating online suggesting widespread use of the technique. Sweden’s Niklas Edin claimed the practice has been ongoing since at least 2018, with repeated appeals to the federation falling on deaf ears.

The insider source added a bombshell: “This isn’t isolated to Canada. But when the world’s most dominant curling nation gets called out — and responds with F-bombs on the ice — it shatters the illusion. The truth is far more shocking: curling’s elite level has quietly tolerated these micro-cheats because enforcing them strictly would disrupt the game flow. Until now.”

World Curling issued a statement clarifying: Touching the handle multiple times before the hogline is allowed, but touching the granite at any point or the handle after the line is not. They stationed extra umpires to monitor hoglines — a move later reversed amid player backlash — but no retroactive penalties were issued for the original incident.

The Cortina venue, a 70-year-old alpine icon nestled in the Dolomites, has become ground zero for the scandal.

Kennedy later expressed regret over his language but stood firm: “I regret the language… but I won’t apologize for defending my teammates.”

Eriksson, maintaining composure, lamented: “Curling should be a gentlemen’s sport. But perhaps it’s come to a stage of professionalism where we drift away from that.”

As the Olympics continue, the fallout lingers. Canada’s teams remain medal contenders, but the shadow of “double-touching” has tarnished their reputation. Fans debate endlessly: Was it cheating? A harmless habit? Or the death of curling’s spirit?

One thing is clear: The gentleman’s game just got a whole lot rougher — and the truth behind the controversy is far more explosive than anyone imagined.