Fans buying tickets for the 2012 Olympics in London by credit card will have no choice but to use the Visa payments system to make their purchase. The restrictions, part of the sponsorship deal between Visa and the Olympic Games, means that Visa credit and debit cards will be the only ones accepted at cash machines and shops at all Olympic venues.
A spokesperson for the London Olympics said "Visa will be the official card and payment system for London 2012, in the same way as for the Beijing Games in 2008 and the Vancouver Games earlier this year. Visa has been a top partner for 24 years, so this is not new."
However, the Office of Fair Trading are to look into the deal. They stated "The OFT and the European Commission are aware of these issues and are currently in discussion about what action, if any, should be taken."
Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which?, commented "We think it's outrageous that some UK sports fans should be discriminated against in this way. We want the London 2012 Committee to take steps to ensure there's a level playing field and that UK consumers have equal access to the Games, whether or not they are Visa cardholders."
The deal with Visa, which has been the official card of the Olympics for 24 years, is part of the trend towards tighter control between sponsors and global event organisers over arrangements for sponsorship rights.
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Visa only for Olympics tickets
Thu, 24 Jun 2010
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