While the world of competitive fishing is its world, after a tournament this weekend a bombshell was dropped.
According to Sports Illustrated, they were accused of illegally putting weights in their fish. Fortunately, these gentlemen were caught red-handed during the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Championship event.
The alleged culprits of the cheating scandal are Chase Cominsky from Pennsylvania and his partner Jake Runyon from Ohio reported The Herald.
This duo won the tournament until an official discovered the weights while cutting open the fish to investigate.
Serious Controversy in Pro fishing tournament as multiple-time winners caught stuffing lead weights and other fish filets in their fish to have the heaviest catch to win hundreds of thousands in prizes. pic.twitter.com/Sxqeo2XC0K
— Billy (@Billyhottakes) October 1, 2022
Cominsky and Runyon adding weights to the fish gave them an upper advantage as the weight is recorded at the end of the competition for the most poundage.
Adding additional weight to a fish will alter its weight, increasing its chances of winning. In the video, the competitor accuses them of cheating for months.
While they got caught this past week, these actions could have been going on for months.
Naturally, the duo was disqualified from the event when the weights were discovered. The crowd became outraged once the cheaters were discovered and were happy to see the tournament winner go to another duo.
Why Did They Cheat the Fishing Tournaments?
Surprisingly, not everyone is aware that winning these tournaments can result in million-dollar rewards. Before the scandal, Cominsky and Runyon were at the top of the season standings for the professional fishing team of the year.
Once the controversy was broken to the public, many began questioning the integrity of sport. This even included former winners in the past.
I apologize for letting you down for an extended period of time. I am pleased to inform you that I have discovered instances of cheating in YOUR LEWT.
Rest assured that when I say I will defend the integrity of your LEWT at all costs, I genuinely mean it. You deserve nothing but the best.
