Team USA’s Korey Dropkin says Olympic curling’s “double-touch” scandal was “bigger than it needed to be”

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy Team USA Curler Korey Dropkin tells CBS News what it’s called “double-touch” argument holding an audience during the 2026 Winter Olympics is “bigger than it needs to be.” The American athlete who won the silver medal defended his teammates who were caught in the media storm about the so-called cheating.

Dropkin, who helped the US win a silver medal last year in the mixed doubles, told CBS News on Tuesday that it was unfortunate that the incident fueled the Olympics’ biggest controversy, as he did not believe there was any cheating.

The Olympic wrestling committee intervened after a heated argument sparked by Sweden’s tumbling team accusing their Canadian opponents of cheating during their bout on Friday.

Veteran Canadian Marc Kennedy was angered by Swedish rival Oskar Eriksson’s accusation that he engaged in “double contact” – making contact with the granite again after it was released to slide – during Canada’s 8-6 victory. Kennedy hurled profanity during the verbal exchange as he denied breaking any laws.

Olympic officials added referees to monitor the next release, but the game does not use video replays to review game decisions, and World Curling said after the incident that “decisions made during the game are final.”

“Over the last few seasons, there’s been a lot of athletes who have done this, and it’s never really been remembered,” Dropkin said. “There are a lot of Olympians who have done double touches of granite.”

World Curling issued a statement clarifying that touching the granite stone part is not allowed and could result in the stone being removed from play.

In the days following the incident, Canada’s Rachel Homan and Team GB’s Bobby Lammie were both suspended for similar infractions.

Dropkin played down the effect of athletes eating granite on the stones behind the pig line, explaining that it could be part of the practice before the practice was banned in the sport.

“I think it’s been difficult for some athletes” who have been in the sport for years, Dropkin told CBS News. “In fact, they are the players I look up to, the athletes I have watched and loved for years.”

He acknowledged that there was “foul language used, which was probably unnecessary,” but said Kennedy “is one of the biggest turners and plays by the rules. He’s been one of the guys I’ve looked up to my whole life. To see him being considered a cheater in the wrestling game, in my opinion, is wrong.”

Several other Olympic curlers have also come forward to argue that double-touching does not indicate any malicious intent, and that punishing a quick, accidental meal of the stone would be overkill.

Swiss thrower Alina Paetz described it as a minor infraction, admitting it was “not allowed,” but said the uproar over last week’s incident seemed, “something bigger than it really is.”

“With the Olympics, there’s emotion in it,” he told the Associated Press. “I don’t think it’s really that big of a deal.”