Conference-matrix MDS code conjecture

Let $p$ be a prime, and let ${\mathbb C}$ be a code of length $p+1$ constructed from a generator matrix that is a conference matrix. Conference-matrix MDS conjecture. The code ${\mathbb C}$ is an MDS code of dimension $\frac{p+1}{2}$ and minimum Hamming distance $\frac{p+3}{2}$. This would give an MDS code with parameters determined by the rank of a conference matrix over ${\mathbb Z}_p$; the source provides no resolution of the claim.