LONDON — On Tuesday, organizers of the World Conker Championships announced they are looking into allegations of cheating following the discovery of a steel conker in the pocket of this year’s male champion.

The annual competition took place on Sunday in the quaint village of Southwick, located in central England, with more than 200 participants taking part. The game itself uses conkers, which are shiny brown seeds gathered from horse chestnut trees, strung on a line so players can attempt to smash their opponent’s conker. Each match allows for three alternating strikes.

Eighty-two-year-old Dave Jakins emerged victorious in the men’s tournament, but suspicions arose when Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, who faced Jakins in the final and lost after his conker “disintegrated in one hit,” raised concerns about the potential use of a steel conker. This was reported by The Telegraph.

Upon investigation, officials confirmed that a steel conker had indeed been located in Jakins’ possession. Despite the findings, they noted it seemed improbable that he was able to cheat given the level of oversight from the judges. Jakins has firmly denied any wrongdoing.

St. John Burkett, the chair of the event’s organizing committee, mentioned to Sky News, “He was very closely watched by four judges. It looks like it was absolutely impossible for him to cheat.”

This year, the title of World Conker Champion was awarded to Kelci Banschbach, a 34-year-old originally from Indianapolis, who triumphed over Jakins in the final. This victory marked a historic moment, as she became the first American to claim the prestigious title since the inception of the World Conker Championships in 1965.

In addition to the competitive spirit, the event has also been known for raising substantial amounts of money for various charitable causes over the years.