Team USA curler, a Minnesota lawyer, tells CBS News people's "rights aren't being followed" in his state

February 11, 2026

TL;DR

Rich Ruohonen, a two-time national curling champion and lawyer from Minnesota, is representing the USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Ruohonen expressed pride in representing the U.S. and the unifying spirit of the Olympics.
He voiced concerns that constitutional rights, including freedom of press and protection against unreasonable searches, are not being upheld in Minnesota.
Ruohonen stated that federal immigration agents have been involved in recent high-profile shootings in Minneapolis.
Despite the issues in his home state, Ruohonen emphasized the positive aspects of being Minnesotan and American, such as compassion and empathy.
Team USA curler Luc Violette noted the strong support from American fans in Cortina, Italy.
Corey Thiesse became the first U.S. female curler to win an Olympic medal, earning silver in mixed doubles.
Violette described curling as a sport that requires a unique combination of skill sets and is physically demanding.
The sport of curling has evolved significantly over the past 30 years, becoming more physical and requiring greater athleticism.
Violette compared curling to bocce ball, explaining the objective is to have more stones closer to the center than the opponent.
Sweeping is explained as a technique to make the curling stone travel farther and influence its direction.

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