The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been struck with an anti-trust lawsuit in the European Union regarding its ticketing practices less than a year out from the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
Ticombo, the German ticketing resale marketplace, brought its complaint to the European Commission, which acts as a competition regulator within the EU, claiming that the IOC is unlawfully restricting competition by exercising monopoly power over Olympic ticket sales.
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At the Paris 2024 summer games the Olympic site was the only way to resell tickets, as the same will be for Milano-Cortina 2026.
Ticombo said in a statement: “By restricting independent resale platforms, the IOC not only limits consumer choice but also undermines the natural balance of the market.
“Fans who can no longer attend an event are forced to use the IOC’s exclusive resale platform, where strict conditions force tickets to be resold at face value plus a platform fee, even when demand is low,” continued the platform, which allows its users to offer resold tickets below face value.
Should the legal action prove successful, it could drastically shake up how the Olympics offers its ticketing globally.
The advent of e-ticketing in recent years has allowed sports properties a greater degree of control over ticket resales, and at major events such as the Olympics, the organizing bodies often deem it necessary to ensure a minimum value of tickets and control over who can enter.
In 2024 Ticombo also took European soccer’s UEFA governing body to court for similar reasons, accusing it of exercising undue control over ticket resales at the UEFA 2024 European Championships.
The resale platform also sued the Belgian state for the same reason, alleging that legal restrictions enacted in the country surrounding ticket are “discriminatory” to firms active in the sector.
Secondary ticket operators are now massive business globally, with operator Viagogo for one agreeing a trio of deals with major European sports properties Manchester City, Alpine F1 team, and the European Handball Federation, offering a direct ticket and resale partner.
