Rules and Regulations Needed for Olympic Ticketing

2/11/2010

"Where are the rules for purchasing tickets to the Olympics?" questions Jim Moriarty, of James R Moriarty PC. There are volumes of rules and regulations for each Olympic sport; for judging; and for procedures. However, it seems there is only Sead Dizdarevic's personal distribution method for the sale of Olympic tickets through his company CoSport, a division of Jet Set Sports. Moriarty believes this method of distribution is seriously flawed and fails to meet the standards set for other areas of the Olympics.

As an example of Olympic rules, the specifics for the Olympic medals are quite clear: they must be at least 60 millimeters (a millimeter is equivalent to 0.03937 inch) in diameter and at least three millimeters thick. Gold and silver medals must be made of 92.5 percent pure silver; the gold medal must be gilded with at least six grams of gold.

The specifics for distributing tickets? Not so clear says Moriarty. Search the web and you will find there are no rules on ticket distribution. You will find stories of people trying to buy tickets through broken computer systems. You will find stories of parents denied an opportunity to see their child compete; you will find stories of victims who were defrauded by bogus websites; and you will find that Dizdarevic is estimated to have paid $20 million for exclusive rights to market tickets and tours in the U.S. for all Olympic Games from Turin to London 2012.

There is a Code of Points used in the judging system for gymnastics. Where is the Code of Ethics for ticket distribution? No such thing will be found in a published format. Those codes are decided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Dizdarevic.

There is a very specific procedure for the Olympic oath, a symbolic gesture of sportsmanship. One athlete from the host country takes an oath in the Opening Ceremonies on behalf of all athletes, pledging to uphold the Olympic spirit of competition and fair play. Immediately after the athletes' oath is delivered, a judge from the host country mounts the rostrum and takes an oath to officiate impartially, respecting rules, in the true spirit of sportsmanship. 

Where is the Olympic pledge that tickets will be distributed fairly? Where is the promise that tickets will be sold with "complete impartiality?" Where is the Olympic pledge that the general public can be assured that they will not pour out thousands of dollars, only to find that they are holding useless tickets? Where are the rules that will govern ticket distribution "in the true spirit of sportsmanship?" You won't find them. Why?