In an email to members dated 15th September 2022, we outlined the UKBGF Board’s final ruling on the incident which occurred in the UK Open semi-final between Neculai Axinte and Brendan Burgess. Since then, there have been further discussions between the parties concerned, intermediaries, and the UKBGF, but the final ruling remains as communicated to members in that email.
However, in response to requests for further clarification, we would add the following statements:
1. Although various infringements of the rules occurred in relation to the main incident of one player incorrectly moving the checker of the opponent, resulting in numerous inflammatory posts on social media, there has been no allegation of cheating (a deliberate action carried out with the intention of gaining an unfair advantage) by any of the following:
• The original tournament ruling committee, whose ruling had to be set aside
• The UKBGF Board, to whom the UK Open TDs then referred the matter for ruling
• Individual Board members
• The UK Open TDs
2. The nature of the main incident was much more serious than commonly occurring illegal plays – a typical example of which would be for a player, during their turn, to move one of their own checkers to the wrong finishing position. In this case it involved a player, during a pause in play, moving one of his opponent’s checkers to an adjacent point without consultation with the opponent or with a tournament official. We should repeat that this does not imply that the intention of this action was to gain an unfair advantage. Nevertheless, the Board considered that the action itself warranted a significant retrospective ruling which was as follows:
• The UK Open Masters knockout bracket would be ‘frozen’ at a point before the incident
• There would be no UK Open winner this year
• Prize money would be allocated between the semi-finalists in proportions determined by the UKBGF Board
3. The appeals procedure in the UKBGF rules has now been exhausted and therefore further appeals will not be considered.
4. The UKBGF Board will oppose any attempt to discriminate against any players involved in this incident.
5. The UKBGF Board is open to receiving any views for consideration which may help avoid such an issue arising in the future.
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