BagGate cheating scandal: Ideal Cornhole bag measurements revealed as Mark Richards and Philip Lopez land in hot waters

The Professional Cornhole world has been rocked by a scandal of different proportions, dubbed BagGate by fans after its top competitive team was accused of cheating.

The occurrence took place during the 2022 American Cornhole League World Championships, which were held earlier in August at Rock Hill, South Carolina. It all started when Devon Harbaugh complained that his double rivals, Mark Richards and Philip Lopez used non-regulation beanbags during the finals. In a report by the Wall Street Journal, Harbaugh said:

"I thought the bags were too thin."

According to ACL regulations, the cornhole bags require to be 16 pounds and 6 inches by 6 inches in dimensions. After a closer inspection, officials confirmed the suspicion, further mentioning that the bags of the opposing team were also non-compliant.

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BagGate: Prelude to a new chapter in the American Cornhole story?

With a $15,000 grand prize riding on the line, officials determined no foul play and continued the contest. A spokesman for ACL, Trey Ryder, told Fox News:

"It’s possible... (they might have cheated, but) pretty confident that it wasn't intentional."

Lopez maintained his innocence amidst BagGate, telling Fox News:

"I don’t know how they became illegal-sized. We did not boil the bags."

BagGate brought to light a need for change in the sport. The incident sparked various conversations in the cornhole community, with many asking for stricter regulations. They believe an increase in popularity and great rewards have led to many using unusual methods to try and get the upper hand, such as boiling their beanbags or washing them with vinegar.

Eric Marvin, president of the ACL, told the Wall Street Journal:

"You're going to see some big shifts and movements in the infrastructure of the sport. This is when sports evolve."

Ryder further stated that ACL has increased its testing and is even exploring "automated bag testing options." Meanwhile, professional player Jay Corley told The Journal that the best solution is to have a "referee" like in other sports so that there is no repeat of BagGate.

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Cornhole is not the only sport in the news for cheating

A fishing tournament, Lake Erie Walleye Trail, came under the spotlight when two men, Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky, were accused of stuffing their walleyes with lead weights. The allegations were made when the director of the tournament found Runyan and Cominsky's fish to be significantly heavier than a normal one of that length.

The duo had initially won the competition, but after they were indicted, fellow competitor Steve Hendricks was awarded the $28,000 prize.

Another time, a U.S. teenage chess grandmaster, Hans Niemann, was accused of cheating during a chess tournament.

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The American Cornhole League (ACL), founded in 2015, is the regulating body for professional cornhole in the United States. It hosts over 25,000 tournaments a year and has an active player base of over 100,000 players.