February 05, 2020 13:10
The organizers of a highly publicized football match last year showcasing Juventus have been ordered by a court to compensate fans after star player Cristiano Ronaldo failed to take the pitch.
A district court in Incheon ordered organizers TheFasta to pay W371,000 to each fan who paid to watch the match (US$1=W1,188).
Fans sued Ronaldo, Juventus and event organizers TheFasta last year, accusing them of falsely advertising the friendly by featuring Ronaldo prominently in the promo material.
Fans demanded total compensation of W2.14 million each, including a refund of their W70,000 tickets, a W1,000 processing fee for the reimbursement and W1 million to cover mental anguish. But the court awarded them only W300,000.
Still a lawyer for the fans said the compensation is a victory since it marks the "first instance of compensation for mental anguish being recognized for an actor or athlete failing to appear."
Another 80 fans have filed a civil suit at a court in Seoul seeking W950,000 a head.
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