Curling Controversy: Before The Olympics 2026 Scandal, There Was 'Broomgate' – Here's What Happened

Curling's reputation for fair play has come under scrutiny when Swedish curler Oskar Eriksson accused Canada's Marc Kennedy of illegally touching a stone after release during their round-robin match on 13 February. The incident, quickly dubbed 'Boopgate', saw Canada win 8-6 amid heated exchanges and umpire intervention. Kennedy has denied wrongdoing but video clips of the incident circulating online have fuelled debate.

This is not the first time curling has been rocked by controversy. A decade earlier, the sport endured the infamous 'Broomgate' scandal of 2015-16, when aggressive broom technology threatened to unbalance the sport entirely. That saga led to bitter divides and lasting rule changes.

The Rise of the Rogue Brooms

The trouble began in the 2014-15 season, when Mike McEwen's Manitoba rink pioneered the Hardline icePad broom. Its stiff synthetic pad aggressively abraded the ice's pebbled surface. Unlike softer horsehair or standard synthetics, it allowed stones to glide farther and straighter, minimising natural curl.

Described in reports as 'sandpaper on a microscopic level', the pad facilitated 'directional sweeping' that allowed sweepers to nudge stones off-line or exaggerate curls, effectively steering them like a joystick and sidelining the thrower's precision. Word spread quickly. Brad Gushue's Newfoundland team tested it in the off-season, developing a one-sweeper technique to amplify control while rivals used pairs. McEwen's adoption paid dividends – his side claimed the 2014 Canada Cup, two Grand Slams of Curling and topped the World Curling Tour standings.

Chaos on the Ice and the Sweeping Summit

By September 2015 at the GSOC Tour Challenge in Regina, opponents were openly complaining that the brooms gouged ice and made shots too forgiving. The sheet was damaged, and predictability began to creep into play, where even errant throws could be salvaged.

Tensions peaked at October's Stu Sells Toronto Tankard. Glenn Howard's Ontario rink, armed with Balance Plus's rival Black Magic pads, confronted McEwen with an ultimatum: abandon Hardline or expect reciprocity in the final. McEwen held firm, resulting in a drawn-out seven-end decider plagued by ice repairs – the match stretched to three-and-a-half hours as gouges disrupted pebbling.

The World Curling Federation stepped in with a November 2015 moratorium on modified brushes, a move satirised as 'Broomageddon' by Stephen Colbert. 'It took a lot of the skill away from the throwers and put it in the hands of the sweepers,' reflected Olympic champion Brad Gushue. Four-time world champion Glenn Howard deemed it 'the worst curling season of my entire career'.

Resolution came at the Sweeping Summit in Kemptville, Ontario in May 2016. Athletes, officials, ice-makers and scientists from Canada's National Research Council tested over 50 brush variants using robots and GPS tracking, laying the groundwork for new regulations.

Reforms and Echoes in Broomgate 2.0

The summit led to sweeping changes for the 2016-17 season: custom brooms were banned and only uniform, certified mustard-yellow fabrics were permitted – a cornerstone rule preserving balance to this day. Retail-only equipment became mandatory, curtailing innovation that skewed play.

Yet controversy resurfaced in 2024-25, dubbed 'Broomgate 2.0,' when firmer foam inserts in Balance Plus and Goldline models were accused of offering excessive control. After athlete consultations in Manitoba, the World Curling Federation updated specifications in June 2025, banning high-compression foams for the Olympic cycle. Affected models, like Balance Plus's Firm 2.0, were delisted. As of 17 February 2026, compliance checks persist amid the Games.

Echoes on the Olympic Stage

As 'Boopgate' investigations continue, Kennedy maintains his innocence. Yet Broomgate curling underscores the sport's fragility to equipment disputes.

Watching from afar, comedian Jack Whitehall posted on X of his newfound curling fixation, a light nod to the broom wars that once gripped the ice – the game, ever polite, sweeps forward regardless.