Rugby World Cup organizers "are planning one final push for a ban on ticket touting at the tournament as they prepare to announce a pricing structure fraudsters could ultimately render meaningless," according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. England Rugby 2015 chiefs "have given themselves a month to convince the Government to prevent up to 2.5 million tickets being sold on at inflated prices, which police have warned may help fund the activities of criminal gangs."
The World Cup "will be arguably Britain’s second biggest ever sporting event after last year’s Olympics and Paralympics, tickets for which were subject to a resale ban." There was "no such precondition for England hosting the World Cup." But England 2015 CEO Debbie Jevans "has zealously lobbied for similar legislation." Insisting he was "100 percent" behind legislation, Detective Superintendent Nick Downing, who headed up the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Podium, added, "They are making hundreds of thousands, if not millions, from this type of crime and we’ve got intelligence that some of these networks are involved in drugs, involved in firearms." There will be 2.3-2.5 million tickets in total, meaning a minimum average price of £32-£35 ($52-$57) (TELEGRAPH, 11/25).
