King Conker' cleared of cheating at World Conker Championships

David Jakins, the recently crowned King Conker, expressed his relief at being cleared of cheating allegations, saying, 'I'm so relieved to be cleared. It's been a stressful week.' He emphasized the integrity of the tournament, stating that competitors are 'gentlemen' and do not cheat, and that his victory came from decades of practice, not foul play. He acknowledged possessing a steel conker, but clarified, 'I didn't play with it. I show it to people as a joke.'

A spokesperson for the World Conker Championships confirmed that David Jakins was found innocent of cheating after a thorough investigation: 'We have studied photos and videos of matches, interviewed judges and examined the chestnuts used by King Conker.' They affirmed their commitment to honest play, stating, 'The investigation has found no evidence that the steel conker was used. King Conker has been cleared of suspicion.'

St John Burkett, speaking on behalf of the championship, described the meticulous process for ensuring fair play: 'The 3,500 conkers for this year's tournament were collected two to three days beforehand and blind-picked from a bag by competitors from all over the world to prevent tampering.' He added that any attempt to cheat would require 'a very good sleight of hand,' highlighting the challenge of switching conkers.

Read at www.theguardian.com