The Rio offices of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) have been raided as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged ticketing offences.
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“They cooperated with us in confirming the role of Patrick Hickey as the one who handled ticket operations”.
In addition to Mr Hickey, at least three other members of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) are suspected of involvement in the illegal sales, police said: executive director Stephen Martin, secretary-general Dermot Henihan and treasurer Kevin Kilty.
It will look at the council’s dealings with Pro10, the Irish business that acted as the council’s authorised ticket reseller for the 2016 games, and with THG, the reseller normally used by the council but which was not granted a licence to sell tickets by the Brazilian authorities.
Rio’s police force arrested THG’s Kevin James Mallon and his interpreter on July 5, the opening day of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
He has been moved to a high security remand prison at Rio’s Gericino Penitentiary Complex, known as Bangu Prison, and an application against his detention was denied by a judge, according to police in Rio.
They also wish to make contact with the Brazilian ambassador, Alfonso José Cardoso to highlight their concerns and hope to meet Mr Kenny when he returns from holidays.
His words arrive at an important time in the OCI’s own investigation into the Olympic ticketing controversy, as they release the terms of reference for its own inquiry.
Ireland’s judge-led into the Olympics ticketing scandal in Rio will also probe ticket sales for London 2012, it has been announced.
Warrants were also issued for the seizure of passports belonging to OCI vice president John Delaney, acting OCI president Willie O’Brien and personal assistant Linda O’Reilly.
At a press conference in Rio on Tuesday evening, the officers revealed that mails between THG’s Evans and Mr Hickey went back to 2010.
A judge has ordered the arrest of four other THG executives in relation to the scam.
He was arrested as part of an investigation into ticket touting but has not been formally charged.
THG has said the seized tickets were being held legally on behalf of PRO10. The scenes from his arrest were nearly like something out of a Keystone Cops farce with the police having to go to two separate rooms in the hotel where Pat Hickey was staying.
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Following that interview, Mr Henihan was informed that he was free to leave.
