Heavy Fines Set for Ticket Touts at Sochi 2014

The Russian government have established a new law imposing heavy fines for ticket touts at the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi.

The International Olympic Committee has the power to establish ticket prices for all events at the 2014 Games and anyone caught selling tickets above their face value faces a fine of up to one million roubles (£20, denture 400), order the Kremlin said on its website.

For low-level touting, the fine could be up to 10 times the tickets price for individuals or 20 times for a Games official. Companies scalping tickets could be shut down.

For years, Russia has been plagued by illegal ticket sales at most major sporting and entertainment events.

The new law also regulates hotel prices in the region during the 2014 Games, prohibiting owners charging more than the state-imposed fee for each category.