Mr Hickey is to be grilled by Sports Minister Shane Ross when he arrives in Rio on Sunday.
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This morning, Minister Ross said he wanted assurances that the OCI investigation was independent, adding that he did not want a situation where the OCI was investigating itself. “We’re determined to get to the bottom of this, we’re absolutely determined to do so”.
Inquiries are focusing on how the tickets ended up on the black market.
Some of the tickets were believed to have been issued to the OCI.
The statement says there has been misleading coverage here and overseas about the firm.
Mr Mallon works for THG, a London-based worldwide ticket reseller and corporate hospitality firm, part of the group of companies owned by Ipswich Town Football Club owner Marcus Evans.
“What’s happened there is a great shame”, he told a press briefing in Dublin.
“The OCI will be happy to make public the findings of its own investigation at the appropriate time, but not before the Brazilian legal case has been resolved”.
Pro 10 Sports Management has said that Mr Mallon was its representative in Rio and had an official letter of authorisation to act on its behalf relating to the collection of tickets.
“In the meantime, the OCI has also recommended to the IOC and the Rio 2016 Organising Committee that if any wrongdoing is discovered on the part of any ATR in this affair then its status as an ATR be reviewed both for Rio 2016 and future Games”.
Police there say Irish man Kevin Mallon was arrested last week, with hundreds of tickets intended for re-sale at inflated prices.
“These had been made available for sale through the authorised ATR process and were sold to legitimate customers of PRO10 at face value plus the allowed ATR reseller fee”.
The company said it is usual for large numbers of tickets to be held in one place for legal resale.
PRO10 said the inquiry has caused it significant commercial loss and left Irish and European customers unable to buy tickets during the games through the authorised process.
“Pro 10 is now discussing this matter with our lawyers and we wish to make no further comment on this matter which could prejudice our case”, concluded the statement.
The controversy erupted earlier this week when Kevin Mallon, a director at THG – a company previously used to distribute Olympic tickets – was detained along with his translator in Rio. He said this has compounded their anger and that they deserve answers.
The Olympic Council of Ireland is under pressure to explain how tickets earmarked for them ended up in the hands of an alleged tout in Brazil.
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Authorities in Rio are vowing to continue their crackdown.
