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2 February 2011
Last updated at 11:03 ET
Hundreds of rugby fans could be refused entry to Friday's Six Nations opener between Wales and England after buying unofficial hospitality packages.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said people who had spent money on unofficial functions risked having null and void tickets.
The union has identified a number of events in Cardiff, and estimates about 1,000 people will attend them.
Supporters will be leafleted about the problem before Friday's match.
The WRU said it was mounting a "special operation" and had identified about eight websites offering unofficial events and the holders of null and void tickets.
A special team of investigators will target websites offering the packages to alert fans to the problem.
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The union said people paid up to £500 each for hospitality before and after the match and for a ticket to the game.
Manager of the Millennium Stadium, Gerry Toms said: "We are determined to regulate the trade in hospitality packages for the benefit of all concerned.
"We are following in the footsteps of organisations like the RFU (Rugby Football Union) which have already taken similar steps to control this trade.
"Our member clubs can still sell tickets to Events International above face value as part of a legitimate commercial trade which will generate cash for their development."
The WRU added that it had informed the Office of Fair Trading and the Advertising Standards Authority in a bid to protect fans.
Organisers of the unofficial events have been they could face legal action, and some have scrapped their events, the WRU added.
The WRU said it had appointed Events International as its licensed and official offsite hospitality operator.
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The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said people who had spent money on unofficial functions risked having null and void tickets.
The union has identified a number of events in Cardiff, and estimates about 1,000 people will attend them.
Supporters will be leafleted about the problem before Friday's match.
The WRU said it was mounting a "special operation" and had identified about eight websites offering unofficial events and the holders of null and void tickets.
A special team of investigators will target websites offering the packages to alert fans to the problem.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
We are determined to regulate the trade in hospitality packages for the benefit of all concerned”
End Quote
Gerry Toms
Manager of the Millennium Stadium
The union said people paid up to £500 each for hospitality before and after the match and for a ticket to the game.
Manager of the Millennium Stadium, Gerry Toms said: "We are determined to regulate the trade in hospitality packages for the benefit of all concerned.
"We are following in the footsteps of organisations like the RFU (Rugby Football Union) which have already taken similar steps to control this trade.
"Our member clubs can still sell tickets to Events International above face value as part of a legitimate commercial trade which will generate cash for their development."
The WRU added that it had informed the Office of Fair Trading and the Advertising Standards Authority in a bid to protect fans.
Organisers of the unofficial events have been they could face legal action, and some have scrapped their events, the WRU added.
The WRU said it had appointed Events International as its licensed and official offsite hospitality operator.
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