JAMAICA'S COMBINED MARTIAL Arts team's historic showdown against Britain's national taekwondo team ended in controversial fashion in London on Tuesday night, resulting in the tournament scorecards being sent to arbritration with a decision expected tomorrow.
Leading England 5-3 on points after four fights, thanks to two winning points from Norberto Tavares' opening bout, the Combined Team went into what should have been the decisive fifth match-up, needing at least a draw from captain Jason McKay to register the biggest ever win by a Jamaican martial arts team.
However, what happened next stunned the Jamicans, who had earlier secured one-point draws from Arthur Barrows, Kenneth Edwards and Bruce McFarlane in front of a pro-England crowd.
The two Jamaican judges ruled in favour of McKay whereas the British judges favoured their countryman.
The Combined Team figured the bout a draw. However, the head table ordered a sixth bout as a tie-breaker, which Jamaica protested, resulting in the scorecards being forwarded to a sanctioned auditing firm for arbritration.
McKay said he was at a loss as to why the Combined Team were not declared 5-4 winners.
"It is ridiculous," he stated. "If the judges ruled that way, it should have been a draw, giving Jamaica victory. I am sure the auditing firm will give Jamaica the result."
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