Patrick Hickey was detained at a hotel in the Barra da Tijuca area of the city and was later taken to hospital with chest pain before he underwent cardiac tests.
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“The OCI will now commission its own independent inquiry into the ticketing arrangements for Rio 2016”.
The statement also reveals that the OCI Board is receiving legal advice from Dublin based law firm Arthur Cox while interestingly they say that Hickey is receiving his own legal advice.
He is facing charges of conspiracy, ticket scalping and ambush marketing after Brazilian authorities alleged he was part of a plot to make US$3 million (NZ$4.1 million) by illegally selling Rio Games tickets above face value.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – European Olympic head Patrick Hickey of Ireland is spending the closing days of the Rio Games in a prison after his arrest in a ticket-scalping scandal, authorities said Friday.
The 71-year-old International Olympic Committee executive member from Ireland was discharged from hospital on Thursday and questioned.
Update 9.50am: PRO10, the sports management company, the Irish Authorised ticket reseller for Rio 2016 has also released a statement, welcoming an independent inquiry into the ticket touting allegations.
Minister Ross announced earlier today that a retired judge will lead an independent inquiry into the Olympic ticket scandal.
Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board, is accused of plotting with at least six others to illegally sell tickets for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, police said.
The OCI said it would also cooperate fully with any state inquiry, which was later outlined by Sports Minister Shane Ross who said the government would appoint a judge next week to lead its probe into events relating to ticketing at the Rio Games.
Kevin James Mallon, from the British hospitality provider THG, was arrested in Rio last week.
Pro 10 said it is “anxious that the full facts are established and made public as soon as possible so that our good name can be exonerated”. In 2010, the Olympic Council of Ireland appointed THG as its official ticketing agent for the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
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In a statement on Friday, THG said it wants the inquiry in Ireland to “be actioned expeditiously” and pledged its full co-operation “in the strong belief that it can demonstrate that the company has acted lawfully at all times”.
