Tokyo 2020 Olympics organisers step up efforts to counter ticket scalping

Courtesy: Reuters

Tokyo: The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic organising committee is looking to counter ticket scalping amid concerns of massive buyouts and overpriced resales ahead of the event, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday.

The committee remains keen on introducing online tickets bearing personal information and a system where purchasers can sell tickets on at a fixed price.

With more than 10 million entry tickets expected to be issued, starting next year, the committee had also already asked the Japanese government and lawmakers for legislation to clamp down on scalpers.

"It will affect the Games` reputation. We want to create a framework through which we can thoroughly crack down on people reselling tickets obviously for a profit," an official of the organising committee was quoted as saying by Kyodo.

Ticket sales for the 2016 Rio Olympics were sluggish due to a scalping ring, which was uncovered by the police at the event.

Ireland`s former Olympic chief Patrick Hickey, among others, was indicted for involvement in the scandal.