Controversy erupted at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Sunday night in the final bout of the Guyana Karate Federation’s (GKF) national championsips with two of the corner judges walking out in protest over the officiating of the chief referee in the bout between Lennox Brummell and David Hardy.
Brummell, of the Banks Wado Ryu dojo and Hardy of the National Park JKA, were battling in the Open male kumite event when corner judges Winston Dunbar and Darren Nurse walked off in protest.
Treasurer of the GKF Shamash Persaud told Stabroek Sport yesterday that some of the judges were not happy with “some of the points that chief referee Christopher Chaves was awarding and some that he was not awarding.”
At the time of the dispute Persaud said Hardy was leading by three points to two.
But this was refuted by Brummell who yesterday alleged to Stabroek Sport that he was robbed not once but for a second time against the same opponent.
“I was leading from the beginning. Harding was far behind me. From since the fight started, I scored the first two points. At no time was Harding in front of me,” he said.
Harding said he was at the receiving end of another dispute last year at the same national championships.
Contacted for a comment president of the GKA Amir Khouri said the matter was under investigation.
“It should not have happened but it happened and as disappointed as I am that matter and several other incidents that happened will have to be investigated,” Khouri said.
Khouri said the GKA will set up a special committee to look into the matter adding that he was unclear what the score was at the time of the incident but stated that the matter had to go to the scorecard after the judges had walked off.
One of the judges Winston Dunbar told Stabroek Sport that biased officiating was one of the reasons why he decided to walk off.
“The referee was very biased
