The 71-year-old was admitted to Samaritano hospital for chest pain after his arrest, but released the next day into custody at a Rio police station.
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Rio civil police said in a statement they had started an operation on Sunday linked to their probe into an global ticket touting ring, but declined to provide further details.
The Olympic Council of Ireland told The Associated Press that a member of its Rio Games delegation was allowed to go to Hickey’s bedside to be informed of his decision to step aside temporarily from his IOC duties.
The state’s penitentiary service says Hickey is being held in the José Frederico Marques Public jail, at Gericinó Penitentiary Complex, known locally as Bangu 10 – the same prison where the Irish THG director Kevin Mallon is being held.
“Early this morning in Rio, Brazilian police arrived at the OCI offices in the Olympic Village and at OCI accommodation outside of the village”, the OCI said.
It represents a major shift in the OCI’s position from last Sunday when former President Pat Hickey refused to answer Sports Minister Shane Ross questions on the scandal.
A police statement says Hickey has now been transferred to Bangu prison in Rio.
The THG Group was the official ticketing agent for both the London 2012 olympics and the 2014 Sochi olympics, but did not have a permit to sell Irish olympic tickets for the Rio games.
Police said Ireland’s Olympic body helped transfer tickets to an unauthorized vendor who would set high fees and disguise the transaction as a hospitality package.
Tickets, including for the Rio opening ceremony, with a face value of about $1,400 dollars were offered for sale at $8,000.
The authorised ticket reseller (ATR) contracted by the OCI is Dublin-based PRO10 Sports Management.
“The board has not had an opportunity to meet in person to discuss events in Rio due to the ongoing Games, however, it will meet this weekend and a further statement will be issued in due course”, the OCI said. Pro10 and THG have denied wrongdoing.
“While THG respects the Brazilian police process, which clearly is different to that in the United Kingdom or Ireland, THG believes that a full and proper judicial assessment can not be achieved without consideration of, and access to, all the THG compliance documentation which THG has followed in the provision of hospitality packages in Rio”, the company said.
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“A commission of investigation should be established speedily, investigate all relevant facts and report its conclusions in the shortest possible time”.
