He was transferred there overnight after giving a deposition to police and registered into custody yesterday following release from the hospital he was taken to after feeling unwell during his arrest on Wednesday.
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Europe’s top Olympic official was arrested by Brazilian police in a dawn raid on his hotel on Wednesday, in connection with an investigation into the illegal resale of Olympics tickets, and was escorted from the premises in his dressing gown. Some of the tickets had the Olympic Council of Ireland name on them.
Police suspect the tickets found with him when he was arrested on 5 August were to be sold at prices of up to £6,000 (US$7,800) each.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – IOC executive Patrick Hickey was discharged Thursday from a hospital and went straight to a Rio de Janeiro police station to be questioned about an Olympics ticket scalping investigation.
This morning, THG Sports group and Pro10, the two companies at the centre of the olympic ticket routing scandal, also said that they will co-operate fully.
Details of an independent inquiry are expected to be announced by Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross on Friday.
Controversey: Pat Hickey is escorted by police in a wheelchair at the Hospital Samaritano in Rio de Janeiro.
Mr Hickey’s arrest follows an unreleated controversy surrounding boxing events at the Olympics, which saw some judges expelled from the contest.
He said they had felt all along that an independent inquiry was the most important thing to give it credibility.
The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) said on Friday it would commission an independent investigation into the accusations that led to the arrest of its longtime president.
But Mr Ross added that his department needed to be very sensitive and they will do nothing to prejudice what is happening in Rio de Janeiro.
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.
The OCI would only say that it was “seeking total clarity on the situation” before commenting.
Officials for Rio state penitentiaries said Hickey was getting the same treatment as any other inmate, including the right to a daily walk outside and scheduled visits.
Hickey has denied any wrongdoing.
Detective Barbosa told the BBC that investigators believed “Pro 10 was created as a means for acquiring tickets to be resold by THG” as the Irish Olympic Committee had wanted THG to sell tickets for Rio 2016, he alleged.
However, he did say the OCI would “defend ourselves to the hilt”.
Mr Hickey temporarily stepped aside as an IOC executive board member, head of the European Olympic Committee and the OCI after his arrest.
THG did not have a permit to sell Irish Olympic tickets for the Rio Games.
THG Sports – A corporate and sports hospitality company based in London.
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He denies the allegations and has temporarily stood down from his roles.
