(a) The commission, the executive officer, or authorized representative shall have power to order a promoter to withhold any purse, any part thereof, any receipts or other funds owing or payable to any contestant, or the share thereof of any manager, if, in his or her judgment, it should appear that the contestant is not competing honestly, or is intentionally not competing to the best of his or her ability, or if it should appear that the contestant, manager, or any seconds have violated any provision of this act, or the rules and regulations adopted by the commission.

(b) Any purse, or portion thereof, so withheld, shall be delivered by the promoter to the commission upon demand. Any contestant claiming the money withheld shall within 10 days after the end of the contest apply in writing to the commission for a hearing, the commission shall fix a date for the hearing, and after the hearing determines the disposition to be made of the money held by the commission.

(c) If no application for a hearing is filed within the time prescribed the commission shall meet and determine the disposition to be made of the money held by the commission.

(d) This section does not apply to any exhibition where the participants are not competing to the best of their ability.

(Added by renumbering Section 18860 by Stats. 2015, Ch. 316, Sec. 11. (SB 469) Effective January 1, 2016.)