Brazilian police have said they have uncovered emails between Patrick Hickey, the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI), and the head of THG Sports hospitality discussing the illegal sale of Rio Olympic tickets.
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Ireland’s Olympic secretary general Dermot Henihan arrives at police headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016.
Police in Rio yesterday said that they had completed mandates for the search and apprehension of the passports of the three men.
He could make his first court appearance today after he was arrested on Wednesday on…
It added that Mr Hickey did not try to escape, as had been suggested by the police.
Since then the original OCI internal investigation has been abandoned in favour of a non-statutory official inquiry by a retired Irish judge whose name has not yet been released.
Hickey’s lawyers have refuted the claims against him, and have said that his arrest was provided for by absolutely no material evidence.
The OCI said in a statement that, along with the devices of Kilty, Martin and Henihan: “The OCI had an allocation of unused official tickets in their offices which had been made available for athletes’ families and friends. The police also took possession of these tickets”.
Police say they seized more than 1,000 tickets from THG Sports, which is not an official ticket reseller, and a judge has ordered the arrest of four more THG executives on accusations of fraudulent ticket sales at the Olympics.
Warrants were also issued for the seizure of passports belonging to FAI chief executive and OCI vice president John Delaney, acting OCI president Willie O’Brien and personal assistant Linda O’Reilly on Sunday.
He is accused of plotting with at least six others to illegally sell tickets for the Olympics.
The OCI is to appoint an global accountancy firm to conduct an independent review of ticketing arrangements in Rio, with the report given to the judge.
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Mr Hickey has his passport confiscated and is now being held at Bangu prison following his arrest last week.
