The World Conker Championship is investigating allegations of cheating after the male winner was found to have a steel chestnut in his pocket.
David Jakins won the annual title in Southwick, Northamptonshire, on Sunday for the first time after competing since 1977.
But when organizers searched him after his victory, the 82-year-old was discovered to have a steel replica in his pocket.
The retired engineer has denied using the metal variety in the tournament.
Jakins was responsible for piercing and inserting threads into other competitors' chestnuts as the competition's head judge, known as the “King Conker.”
Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, who lost in the men's final against Jakins, said he suspected “foul play,” the Telegraph reported.
The 23-year-old said: “My conker disintegrated in one hit, and that just doesn't happen… I suspect foul play and have expressed my surprise to the organisers.”
Kelci Banschbach, 34, of Indianapolis, defeated the men's champion in the grand final to become the first American to win the competition. More than 200 people participated.
Jakins said: “They found me with the steel chestnut in my pocket, but I only carry [it] with me for its humorous value and I did not use it during the event.
“Yes, I helped prepare the chestnuts before the tournament. But this is not a trap or a solution, and I did not draw the strings.”
St John Burkett, spokesman for the World Conker Championship, said the cheating allegations were being investigated.
“There have been accusations of foul play that King Conker somehow swapped his current conker for the steel one that was later found in his pocket.
“Players select chestnuts from a sack before each round.
“There are also suggestions that King Conker had scored the strings with harder nuts. We can confirm that he was involved in drilling and joining the nuts before the event.
“We are investigating.”
Before the event, more than 2,000 chestnuts had been prepared.
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