FIFA to Assist Ticket Fraud Investigation

(ATR) FIFA announced they will collaborate with local forces in the "Operation Jules Rimet" investigation.

Ray Whelan, director of the accommodation service Match Hospitality, was arrested and taken in at Copacabana Palace Tuesday to talk with authorities about the company's role in the ticket scandal.

Match serves as FIFA’s hospitality partner and distributes the tickets for the FIFA World Cup. Millions of dollars of tickets were delivered to scalpers from Match directly.

"FIFA wants to reiterate as mentioned at various occasions its firm stance against any form of violation of the criminal law and the ticketing regulations," FIFA said in a statement Tuesday.

Many of the tickets were being sold by a group lead by Mohamadou Lamine Fofana and his company Atlanta Sportif Management.

"[FIFA] is fully supporting the security authorities in our joint efforts to clamp down on any unauthorized ticket sales."

Match tried to distance itself from the scandal initially, saying in a statement, "Atlanta Sportif purchased hospitality packages comprised of an aggregate of 105 hospitality packages in total over seven matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup worth US$121,750."

Around the Ringssister site World Football INSIDER reported that Match cancelled the rest of Atlanta Sportif’s hospitality packages for the rest of the World Cup.

Brazil police commissioner Fabio Barucke said last week that both FIFA and Match officials were involved in delivering the ticket packages into scalpers’ hands.

So far, police have arrested 11 individuals as part of "Operation Jules Rimet."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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