Top Ukrainian official caught in ticket scalping scandal

On May 28, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine (NOC) Volodymyr Gerashchenko resigned following allegations that he tried to "smuggle" about 100 tickets to the 2012 London Olympics onto the black market.

NOC confirmed that Mr Gerashchenko had submitted his resignation and pledged to cooperate with an independent investigation commission.

Mr. Volodymyr Gerashchenko. (Source: Reuters)

In its statement, NOC affirmed that it will take urgent measures to resolve this incident, to avoid negative impacts on the EURO 2012 finals, which Ukraine is co-hosting.

An independent investigation commission has now been established, consisting of three leading legal experts in Ukraine.

According to British media last week, Mr. Gerashchenko was involved in a ring that smuggled Olympic tickets onto the black market. The case was exposed after a BBC reporter posed as a British dealer looking to buy Olympic tickets and was promised by this official that he was ready to provide tickets.

Immediately after the spill scandal was announced, NOC President, pole vault legend Sergei Bubka, decided to suspend Mr. Gerashchenko. President Bubka also discussed with the London Olympic organizing committee and pledged to fully cooperate in the investigation./.

According to (TTXVN)- DT