AFC FINAL = SHAME

For those who want to know how and where they can get a refund for their unused AFC final match tickets, go to this post http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1611439

Below is the correspondence between AFC & I:

*******************************************************

From: Rien

Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 13:05 AM

To: tickets/-a-t-/asiancup2011.com.qa

Subject: RE: Refund Required due to not being allowed to enter Khalif Stadium for AFC Final

Dear Sir / Madam,

Thank you for your reply.

I appreciate AFC/QLOC joint apology to the fans and the offer to refund money.

However, kindly note that the gates were closed much earlier than 18.05.

My wife and sons reached the stadium at 17.15 and I reached the stadium at 17.45 by then tall barricades were already in place to stop fans from entering the stadium. Although I agree that the gates were closed due to "security reason" are partly correct, the real reason for security concern is due to the free entrance allowed to thousands of people to fill the stadium, thus resulting in thousands of paid fans being turned away.

So, the statement that gates are closed at 18.05 is incorrect.

Therefore, an amendment to your press release, to reflect the actual cause of "security concern" as well as accurate time of the gates closure, would be much apprecited.

Thanks & regards

Rien

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From: AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011Tickets [mailto:Tickets/-a-t-/asiancup2011.com.qa]

Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 10:15 AM

To: Rien

Subject: RE: Refund Required due to not being allowed to enter Khalif Stadium for AFC Final

Dear Asian Cup Spectator,

In continuation to joint AFC/QLOC Daily Media Briefing held on 30 January 2011 at Main Media Centre, the QLOC would like once again to offer our apology for the fans that were not able to enter the Final Match, despite the fact that they had valid ticketing in their hands, due to the security concern which led to the closing of gates at 18:05.

Once again, we apologize to these fans, and have decided in conjunction with the AFC to refund all ticket-holders who have been denied access to the venue due to Security Closure of Gates.

Please see the detailed process at tickets.afcasiancup.com for applying for refunds and – as always – please do not hesitate to contact the QLOC at tickets/-a-t-/asiancup2011.com.qa for any further inquiries you may have.

Kindly be informed that the submission of the Refund Application Form will be from the 3rd-28th of February 2011.

Regards,

The Ticketing Department

Local Organizing Committee

AFC Asian Cup - Qatar 2011 TM

E tickets/-a-t-/asiancup2011.com.qa

W www.afcasiancup.com

----------------------------------------------------

From: Rien

Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 11:53 AM

To: AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011Tickets

Subject: Refund Required due to not being allowed to enter Khalif Stadium for AFC Final

Dear Sir / Madam,

It is with disappointment I write to you about the shameful behavior and treatment I met with (along with at least 10000 other fans) at Khalifa Stadium, Doha-Qatar for yesterday’s Australia vs Japan AFC final match.

Despite having valid, four (4), tickets which I booked over two months ago, my family & I could not enter the stadium.

When we reached the stadium at 5.15pm, we were told by policemen that we cannot go in as the stadium is full.

We waited till 7.15pm to get into the stadium, only to disappointed and pushed away by baton wielding policemen … so we returned home extremely disappointed.

This is disgraceful and shameful treatment of fans by a reputed football association.

In view of the above I request AFC to kindly refund the money I paid for the tickets.

Please find attached copies of the tickets I purchased from AFC booth in Villagio Mall on 16 November 2011

Regards

Rien

???

qatarspitfire,

And what will you give to those who flew in from their own countries and don’t live here?

Money can not always buy everything, competences is obviously one of those things!

Cheer up guys. We will give you New Sponsorship System this February.

you have mail - check your inbox. :)

They locked all the gates once the game began and would not open them until the ceremony was over... what would have happened if there was a fire or worse a collapse of part of the stadium. There would be massive loss of life due to the gates being locked.

Those security guards who are in charge of the gates would have been the first to escape and good ridden to everyone else.

i was also among thousands ( at least 8 to 10 thousands)who didn’t allowed o enter the stadium even everyone has tickets they said stadium is full. I wonder how???????

I think me all must complain Asian Football Confederation about the incident and ask for ticket refund or at least they should give pressure to Qatar Foot Ball Authorities.

please send Messages for the same on the following link to Asian Football Confederation.

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1594089

We all need to highlight the same to Asian Football Confederation that what had happen to Foot Fans in Qatar and ask for refund.

Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1594360#comment-1764363#ixzz1CVLss0Tn

I apologise as I have have posted this elsewhere On QL threads but will continue to add to any new thread in case the authorities actually take any notice of the fans comments.

This is not just an access issuue but a major saftey issue. Lets close the entrance gates to the main stadium 45 mins before the game starts . Lets not worry about the men, women , children who will be crushed against the gates as more and more people start coming in and want access.

This is the main issue that should be addressed immediatley by the organisers. Have they no idea of what has happened in past soccer stadium "disasters" . Generally they have been caused by closing gates and then fans crushing entrances leading to injuries or even worse.

In this case they were lucky - The crowd was generally very good natured but it would have taken one incident or one panic event to cause mayhem.

And if you are wondering why I feel so strongly about this , I was at the front of the entrance gates with my two young children just as they closed it. They were frightened and I was frightened for them as the pressure of the crowds built up behind us. Eventually I had to lift them over a crash barrier to get them some space . Then picked them both up and barged my way out through teh crowd into open space and safety.

P - POLITE

O - OBEDIENT

L - LOYAL

I - INTELLIGENT

C - COURAGE

E - EAGER TO HELP

this is the first gets in the police training camp

I bought my tickets when they first came on sale.

I lost 140QR because dumb ticket boy couldn't print off the correct tickets.

This is totally what i expected didn't even bother to see the match. Must have filled the stadium with school children as they don't know how many they have sold...

I feel for the fans who were denied entry.

I suppose an official apology would be the right thing to do. The whole sales team should be sacked.

The AFC people were not prepered mentally to deal with this. I have been at many games, they seemed lost in their management of the crowd. The Police were really rude....as usual...God, these guys need training!

its a disgrace! A shameful act and a FRAUD! Qatar will be taught a lesson very soon.

isale, stop being such a propaganda pusher,.. just because you got in for free...

these are my videos from what happened at the AFC final:

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-546742

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-546671

Qatar in its best and still manages to fool($$$) the world!

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1044611

emirs cup Testimony....FAIL 2010

Qatarkiwi: AlJazeera never reported it was well organized !! Did i miss it by any chance?!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/01/29/qatar.world.cup.ap/index.html?section=si_latest

I was sharp on time to the stadium but still they did not let me and said its full.

......give back my money.

Excerpt from Al Jazeera:

The incident on Saturday is likely to bring into focus how Qatar will deal with much larger crowds when it hosts the World Cup in 2022.

News agencies reported that up to 5,000 people had been shut out.

"It was just incredibly badly handled. There were kids and families, not causing any problem, being confronted by riot police and being told they weren't getting in," Richardson said of the situation outside before kickoff.

A female supporter described having blood running from her hand after being grabbed by a male policeman and forced to wipe her camera.

"The guy went mental on me - to such an extent another cop got involved and was shouting his head off at him for what he'd done. Blood all down my hands," she said.

"I have a chunk out of my finger and a bit out of my thumb, as well as a crunky arm from where he grabbed me. I'm going to the hospital tomorrow for tetanus jabs."

http://english.aljazeera.net/sport/football/2011/01/201112921940597529.html

Expatgeezer, I am amazed! Not surprised if they get a free one way trip home in the near future. Very brave indeed.

s_isale; you love the ANAL in ANALyst, loser

well, you should have gone 3 hours earlier.

QatarKiwi some one is brave enough to post it in AlJazzera English.. Here is the link

http://english.aljazeera.net/sport/football/2011/01/201112921940597529.html

I bought my ticket for AFC finals 10 days ago but sad to say i was not able to watch the final because accordingly its already reach its maximum capacity. The guard just told me "kalas" yeah thats it for a 60riyals AFC finals.. I ddnt see any staff from the organizer, just to let us know that they are selling tickets more that the capacity of the stadium. tsk tsk. I hope the government of qatar will assign competent organizers not just with big ID's and beautiful uniforms with not brains.. yEah what more world cup?

shame on Qatar 2022!!!

Mate, your working for Al Jazeera, how come they were reporting that it was a fantastically organised event and everything went well? Have a word with some of the journo's and tell them that if they really are independent of govt. influence then report it as happened.