CSA: Fraudulent Tickets Did Not Cause Overcrowding

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has carried out its own investigation into overcrowding at the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) final at The New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

	Overcrowded? © REUTERS / Action Images
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A media report claimed that overcrowding had been caused by the acquisition of fraudulent tickets but this was refuted by CSA in a lengthy and detailed statement from CEO Gerald Majola:

“In 2003, CSA implemented an access control system at all major cricket venues through South Africa. This system has received various upgrades since then, and we are very proud to say that we are the only sporting body in South Africa with such a comprehensive and effective access control system.

“Computicket managed to recover the so-called “fraudulent” tickets, to which the article refers, from the Liberty Life Wanderers Cricket Stadium - totalling 327 tickets.  On checking these “fraudulent” tickets it was discovered that 177 tickets were stolen from Computicket, 66 tickets were stolen those allocated to the stadium and 144 were actually tickets for the semi-final.

“The official attendance at the stadium for the DLF IPL final was 25 418 as recorded by the access control system. If the stadium did in fact have more spectators than this, these patrons would have had to access the stadium via entrances not controlled by the access control system.

“This would be in contravention with the normal operating procedures for access into the stadium, and would by-pass the access control system and the function it performs.

“Any such entrances would be under the direct control of the stadium management and should be controlled by the relevant security provider contracted by the Stadium.

 “CSA’s investigation shows that if there was overcrowding, it could not have been caused by the use of fraudulent tickets. Illegal access could only have been gained through entrances outside of the access control system and these entrances fall under the control and jurisdiction of the stadium management."

The Deccan Chargers beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore by six runs in an entertaining finale to the tournament.

“CSA is proud to have hosted DLF IPL 2009 which was a resounding success, and would like to heartily thank the South African public for their support," Majola added.

© Cricket World 2009

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