The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is to reach out to other sporting codes in the country to asses the threat of fake tickets for major sporting events as they seek to reduce the possibility of matches being put under threat in the future by criminal actions.
Two fans died at FNB Stadium on Saturday during the Carling Black Label Champion Cup clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates‚ with eyewitnesses suggesting there was a crush at one of the gates.
It has been reported that the distribution of fake tickets played a role in the tragedy‚ though at this point in time that has not been proven.
PSL acting chairperson Mato Madlala tells TimesLIVE that the league is aware of the threat and will work on a plan to combat it once the full facts of Saturday’s tragedy are clear.
“It’s still very early in our investigation and we are still collecting the evidence that is out there before we know what decisions need to be taken‚” says Madlala‚ who is also owner of top-flight club Lamontville Golden Arrows.
“There has been talk of fake tickets and black market tickets in the past‚ and that is something that we are looking into very seriously.
"But until we know all the facts‚ it is hard to say what action we need to implement.”
Madlala says the PSL will extend their queries beyond soccer to the likes of rugby and cricket to see how what issues they might have had and how they have been dealt with in the past.
“We are getting information from other sporting codes that will be very valuable to us to view the scale of the problem.
"It is something that needs to be dealt with because it compromises everybody's safety at the stadium.”
Madlala would not be drawn on further details of the investigation‚ except to say that it was a priority for the league to with the season to get under way with the MTN8 quarterfinals on the weekend of August 11-13.
- TimesLIVE
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