The OCI website still describes Hickey as “probably the top ranked Irish administrator in the world of global sport and, as well as being a prime mover in the IOC, he is president of the powerful European Olympic Committees organization”.
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An Irish executive was arrested last week in the same investigation.
Brazilian police arrested Europe’s top Olympic official Patrick Hickey on Wednesday (Aug 17) over black market sales of Rio Games tickets forcing the sports baron to “temporarily” leave his posts.
The fraud unit of Rio’s police department said in a statement that Hickey stood accused of conspiring with at least six others to illegally sell tickets at well over face value.
The OCI said that Mr Hickey “has been admitted to Samaritano Hospital for investigation of chest pain”, describing his condition as “stable”.
Mr Adams said the International Olympic Committee would fully co-operate with any police investigation and will wait to see what allegations are made.
Past year he opened the first European Games in Baku, which he later described as his “legacy”.
Mr Hickey was a member of the IOC’s coordination commission for the Rio Games, the body in charge of overseeing preparations for the first Olympics held in South America. He also serves as the European Olympic Comittees (EOC).
Hickey’s arrest came at his hotel in Barra da Tijuca and he is understood to be under questioning at a local police station over his involvement in the irregular sale of Olympic tickets.
It’s alleged they could have made 10 million reais (NZ$4.30 million) from buying tickets and reselling them at a higher price.
Mallon, the director of THG Sports, which specialises in corporate and sports hospitality has been in custody in Brazil since 5 August. The Olympic Council of Ireland said in a statement last week that it was conducting its own investigation into the alleged ticket scam.
If officials being arrested on ticket-scalping charges at an worldwide sports event in Brazil sounds familiar that’s because it happened at the 2014 World Cup. “That’s all I can tell you for the present”.
Hickey, who is also head of the Olympic Council of Ireland, apparently tried to escape when the police arrived at his hotel room.
They say they have found evidence of communication between Mr Hickey and Marcus Evans on Mr Hickey’s phone; THG Group is owned by the Marcus Evans Group.
When he was arrested on August 5 he was in possession of nearly 1,000 premier tickets for Games events.
The authorised ticket reseller (ATR) contracted by the OCI is Dublin-based PRO10 Sports Management. “That’s all I can say at the moment”.
A spokesman for the OCI said he was aware of the reports in Brazilian media and awaiting official confirmation.
Some of the confiscated tickets carried the name of the OCI.
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The IOC said it was “still in the process of establishing the facts”.
