And the scandal continues

By Eman Abdel-Moeti

The first mistake came right at the beginning when the CFO allocated only one-third of the 2.7 million tickets for sale to fans outside France. According to CFO figures, 138,000 tickets were distributed to 17 licensed agencies -- a paltry 8,117 tickets to each agency. Still, not only do CFO officials blame the agencies, but say they are ready to sue and go to court to defend their reputation as well. Yet they have failed to give even a lame explanation as to what happened to some 12,000 Japanese fans who were left ticketless. Bruno Travade, spokesman for the World Cup organising committee, said he had no explanation. Five Japanese travel agencies were reportedly going to cancel World Cup tours. As a result, the number of non-existent Japanese tickets sold may be as many as two-thirds of the 35,000 tickets allotted for the Japanese.

Elsewhere, national soccer leaders have reportedly turned their access to legal tickets into illicit profits. Last Friday, FIFA said it was investigating the case of Cameroon, where soccer Federation President Vincent Onana was detained as he tried to leave his country with the national team. They placed him under investigation this week for embezzlement of public funds, accused of supplying an English agency with 3,000 tickets worth $660,000.

Meanwhile, the black market continues to thrive. Even individuals who had bought tickets for themselves are now contemplating the small fortune they could make by selling them to rich fans like the Japanese. Some French people who bought their tickets at face value have decided to make a little money and give the soccer a miss.

"I bought four tickets for a total of 2,500 francs and planned to take my son and his friends as a treat," said a businessman who gave his name as Jacques. "But then I saw the kind of money which could be made and sold the four tickets for 10,000 francs. Now I can give my son a much nicer treat by hiring a villa by the sea for a fortnight," he said.

A Japanese woman was offered a $43 ticket for $5,000 after she failed to pick up the ticket she was promised in Paris for which she paid $450.

The ticket debacle has struck even the relatives of at least four of Japan's 22 players. Some of them were lucky enough to get tickets from their travel agents or fans who volunteered their own.

One South American country is also rumoured to have been involved in the illicit sale of tickets. A FIFA spokesman said Colombia was cleared of any wrongdoing, but the investigation is still ongoing.

Action against some law-breakers has been taken. The High Court in London forced a travel agency in the capital into liquidation after it admitted it was unable to supply 40,000 World Cup tickets sold to English and Scottish fans for 2.4 million pounds ($3.9 million).

A Briton caught selling World Cup tickets on the black market was released on Friday after being held in custody. Russell O'Connel, 37, was carrying about 100 tickets for last week's match between Morocco and Norway when he was arrested on Tuesday. He had already sold around 30 tickets and had about 11,000 francs ($2,000) on him. Sources said he had not been charged, but could be asked to appear before a judge later, depending on the findings of a police inquiry that is under way.

O'Connel's tickets came from travel agents in several European countries and the sources said they believed the Briton was part of a wider network.

For more than a year, the organisers have defended their ticket-distribution plan against criticism that it was unfairly weighted toward French fans and sponsors. But the scandal and the harm done to France and the CFO is beyond repair now. If individuals and agencies are taking advantage of the situation, it is only because the CFO handed them the opportunity on a silver platter.