Makkah police arrest Yemeni and Egyptian suspects of fake Hajj campaign    400-800 year old giant coral colony discovered within AMAALA waters in the Red Sea    HR Ministry launches 'Ajeer Al-Hajj' service for seasonal work during Hajj 2025    Kafalah grants 1,900 loan guarantees worth over SR4.8 billion to SMEs during 1Q 2025    Council of Senior Scholars reaffirms performing Hajj without a permit is a sinful act    Syria thanks Saudi Arabia and Qatar for settling World Bank dues    King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



FIFA says not to blame for ticketing scams
By Gugulakhe Lourie
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 06 - 2010

FIFA hit back Sunday at critics who blamed soccer's world governing body for fans and companies losing millions on World Cup ticketing scams, which have left many seats empty in the stadiums.
South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper reported that petrochemical giant Sasol and dozens of South African and foreign fans have lost more than 6.5 million rand ($852,500) in World Cup scams after buying tickets from illegal dealers.
“We have no specific comments on the issue of buying tickets outside FIFA channels,” FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said at a media briefing Sunday, adding that FIFA should not take the blame for millions lost by fans and companies. “Honestly, we have published I don't know how many warnings before the competition, even before 2006.”
Clifford Green, a lawyer for FIFA and its hospitality affiliate Match, told the Sunday Times that this week he handed police a dossier of affidavits from seven companies on their huge losses.
FIFA this week named Norwegian company Euroteam, which operates websites, as selling tickets illegally.
Danish national Michael Bakkerstrom and German Siv Anne Basley appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court this week for allegedly selling tickets illegally for Euroteam.
Despite the crackdown, Euroteam put an advert in the Sunday Times' sister newspaper, The Times, Friday, saying: “World Cup 2010 Tickets. All matches including the final.”
A tiny note on the advert says the firm is not affiliated to FIFA and all orders are subject to Norwegian law.
“No one should buy tickets outside the official channels. First, you put yourself in an illegal situation and, second, you might not enter the stadium,” Maingot said.
This is little comfort to Sasol Oil, a unit of Sasol, which is reported to have lost 3.3 million rand in the ticketing scam.
Jacqui O'Sullivan, Sasol's spokeswomen, confirmed the company was defrauded of millions by illegal ticketing dealers.
“I cannot comment further on a legal matter,” O'Sullivan said, when asked whether Sasol was planning to sue the company that sold them illegal tickets.
The Sunday Times said other comapnies that made statements to the police on their ticketing woes include a firm in Johannesburg, which lost 2.8 million rand after buying 80 tickets, including hospitality.
“FIFA is also working closely with New Scotland Yard in the UK in shutting down several fraudulent and unauthorized websites,” FIFA said in a statement.


Clic here to read the story from its source.