Disqualifications over altered stones at Easdale skimming event

Several competitors at the World Stone Skimming Championships on Easdale Island were disqualified after organisers said they doctored their pebbles to gain an advantage at the international contest held on September 6. The organisers said the irregularities were discovered after other entrants and volunteers raised concerns, prompting inquiries that led to admissions and disqualifications in the small Scottish tournament that draws hundreds of participants each year.

In a statement posted on the event’s Facebook page on September 10, organisers said numerous participants admitted breaking the rules by using altered stones and have been disqualified. The WSSC did not disclose the exact number or identities of those involved, saying only that several competitors were contacted, admitted their transgressions, and were banned from this year’s championships.

Kyle Mathews, the Toss Master who runs the competition, said murmurs of impropriety reached him after the event and that competitors who were questioned acknowledged their actions and apologised. "I got calls from concerned competitors. They were worried people might think that’s how things are done here," he told reporters. "I...