The Association for the Eleven Cities Skating Race will expel any of its members who attempt to sell their coveted starting tickets for the competition.

Although it is by no means certain that weather conditions will allow the 200-kilometre race in the Dutch province of Friesland to take place this year, at least five association members were discovered offering their tickets for sale on an internet auction site.

The Association emphasises that the tickets are not transferable. As soon as a ticket is sold on, it becomes worthless.

For safety reasons participation in the official race is limited to approximately 16,000 members of the Association, which is about half the membership.

While the Eleven Cities Race still hangs in the balance, owing to poor ice conditions, organisers elsewhere in the Netherlands are gearing up for local races on natural ice.

Coming up on Thursday is the Veluwe Lake Tour in the central province of Gelderland, last held 13 years ago. This is the second such race this winter after Monday's Loosdrecht race.