SPORTS> Off the Pitch
Over 500 tickets vanish in the mail for days
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-07 15:10
A mail package containing more than 500 World Cup tickets for the first three matches involving France went missing for days, and the French federation is demanding answers.

The package of 552 tickets was sent from the French Football Federation via DHL shipping to the regional league in Alsace. It was missing and untraceable for days before it was delivered Tuesday morning.

"The (French Football Federation) is waiting for precise explanations from DHL on the conditions in which this package disappeared for several days, despite the rigorous tracking procedures used by the company," the federation said in a statement.

Each ticket is worth between euro40 (US$52) and euro110 (US$143) and was equipped with a microchip. While they were missing, the tickets were deactivated, though the federation said organizers have decided to reactivate them.