The World Conker Championships, located in the UK, is currently looking into allegations of cheating after officials discovered that the men’s champion had a steel conker in his pocket, as stated by an official.
This annual tournament, held in Northamptonshire in central England, involves participants using conkers – the seeds from horse chestnut trees – strung on a cord to try and break their opponent’s conker.
David Jakins, 82 years old and affectionately known as “King Conker,” emerged victorious in the men’s event on Sunday during his 46th attempt, having participated since 1977.
However, he has been accused of employing a metal replica by the runner-up, Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, who expressed his suspicions of “foul play” to the Telegraph newspaper.
“My conker shattered with one hit, which is highly unusual,” remarked 23-year-old Mr. Johnson-Ferguson.
St John Burkett from the organizing committee of the competition informed AFP that they are “still investigating” the allegations but suspects that Mr. Jakins is innocent.
“Various evidence has surfaced, indicating that we need to collect more testimonies. A video has been released, which we are examining closely,” he stated.
Mr. Jakins refuted the claims of using a metal replica during the tournament, explaining that he only carried it for “humor value,” as reported by the Telegraph.
“The evidence suggests that Mr. Jakins may be exonerated, but we still need to confirm this through additional corroboration,” Mr. Burkett informed AFP.
The tournament saw participation from over 200 competitors, with approximately 2,000 spectators in attendance, all while raising money for charity.
Participants often don intricate headgear. This year, one competitor sported a green inflatable Yoda headpiece, while another showcased a conker-themed hat.
Mr. Jakins ultimately lost to the women’s champion in the grand final.
