THE HAGUE — The Tribunal of the International Cribbage Association has opened an inquiry into allegations of misconduct by officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during and following the Canadian World Championship Cribbage Final of last month, at which Ms. Alicia Lake decisively defeated Mr. Justin Trudeau and was subsequently the subject of an attempted detention. The standing of the Canadian Federation has been referred to the Office of the Director pending the Tribunal’s determination.
The Final, contested at the Château Frontenac in Québec City, was won by Ms. Lake by a margin the Sanctioning Committee has characterised as “decisive in the extreme.” Ms. Lake, then sanctioned mentee of Mr. Tony Cullen, recorded three skunks and a double skunk over the course of the best-of-five engagement; Mr. Trudeau, contesting the Final in an unofficial capacity, did not at any point cross the ninetieth-point skunk line.
What followed is the subject of the present proceeding. According to the sworn account of Ms. Lake, lodged with the Tribunal in the days following the match, officers of the RCMP appeared at the Château’s reception in evident response to a request originating from the Office of the Prime Minister and proceeded to attempt the detention of Ms. Lake and her accompanying party. Ms. Lake performed an exhibition of her celebrated Double Lotus Shuffle at the lobby staircase, which the account describes as having created sufficient distraction to permit her and Mr. Douglas Ronne, a companion of the journey, to leave the premises by private conveyance and depart the country in the early hours of the following morning.
Ms. Lake and Mr. Ronne are presently resident in the United States. The Association has provided no comment as to whether it considers the present residency to constitute a formal relocation under the Office of the Director’s standing mentor-mentee long-distance framework.
Mr. Trudeau, in remarks issued through the office of the Prime Minister, denied any awareness of the RCMP’s mobilisation, characterised the request alleged in Ms. Lake’s account as “a misunderstanding of jurisdictional scope,” and indicated his readiness to cooperate with any reasonable inquiry of the federated game’s governing body. The Tribunal has formally invited Mr. Trudeau to submit a written statement.
Executive Director Pat Thornenberg, in a written communique issued through the Secretariat, observed that “the sanctity of the Tribunal’s process is not contingent upon the standing of any party who may come before it, however elevated the party’s civil station,” and indicated that the Association would press the proceeding to its ordinary conclusion. The Director extended formal commendation to Ms. Lake for her performance at the Final, while reserving comment on the subsequent events.
Mr. Tony Cullen, mentor to Ms. Lake, was not present at the Final but issued a brief statement of support from his permanent residence: “Whatever the RCMP may have been asked to do, Alicia’s play was the proper subject of the evening’s attention. Three skunks and a double. Let the record reflect that, and let the rest be settled by the Tribunal.”
Mr. D. Ronne (Pi Level, 3.14, since MMXXV) remains the lowest-ranked individual ever inducted into the Association, and had not at the date of the events here described been inducted at any rank. Mr. Ronne’s standing as a companion of the journey is acknowledged.
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