Companies owned by Town owner Marcus Evans are among those UEFA is suing for allegedly selling unauthorised hospitality packages at Euro 2016.
Evans’s company THG is offering hospitality packages which they say are "independent from any event organisers, governing bodies and venues” via its website.
"In order to protect consumers UEFA has repeatedly taken action against unauthorised sellers both in France and abroad,” UEFA said in a statement to The Guardian
"UEFA has previous obtained orders against other rogue sellers and UEFA is confident that it will obtain orders against these companies on this occasion as well.
"Continuing its policy of taking vigorous action to prevent unauthorised sales, UEFA has today announced that it has commenced proceedings against a number of companies alleged to be involved in the sale of unauthorised packages for UEFA Euro 2016 matches.
"Among the companies sued are British companies which are part of the Marcus Evans Investment group of companies which is owned by Marcus Evans, the owner of Ipswich Town Football Club.”
It’s far from the first time companies owned by Evans have fallen foul of an international tournament organiser for selling hospitality packages in competition to those offered by their official partners.
The organisers of the 2007 Rugby World Cup challenged the THG Group’s right to sell packages at their tournament without approval. They ultimately took the matter to the highest appeal court in France, which ruled in THG’s favour.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa an employee of THG was charged with ticket touting.
UEFA have failed to sell out their official hospitality at Euro 2016 with Cat One tickets going on sale shortly before the tournament and many boxes and executive seats empty throughout some games, including England's 1-1 draw with Russia and Italy's 2-0 victory over Belgium this evening.