World Cup organizers probe how pitch invader received disabled ticket

RIO DE JANEIRO --

World Cup organizers are investigating if an Italian man fraudulently received a disabled access ticket before running onto the pitch during the United States-Belgium match.

Mario Ferri ran across the field in Salvador on Tuesday, delaying play for about a minute in the first half.

He did the same thing at the 2010 World Cup, during a semifinal match between Spain and Germany, after entering the stadium in a wheelchair.

Brazilian organizing committee spokesman Saint-Clair Milesi says ''we are checking how he had the access.''

Milesi says if Ferri showed false papers at the stadium claiming to have a disability then ''that is even more serious'' than running onto the field.

FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer says official ticketing lists for the match did not include Ferri's name.