(ATR) Suspended IOC member Patrick Hickey vows to "fight each and every one" of the charges he faces in Brazil involving sales of tickets to the Rio Olympics.
Arrested August 17 at his room at the IOC hotel in Rio, Hickey most likely will face a trial on charges growing out of a police inquiry of possibly illegal sales of tickets allocated to the Olympic Council of Ireland.
In his most expansive comments since his arrest, Hickey declares he is innocent in a statement issued Monday that also expresses confidence in the Brazilian justice system.
"I intend to face all the charges and to fight each and every one of them," said Hickey.
"I am completely innocent of all such charges and I will also vigorously defend my good name and character that I have spent my lifetime building through voluntary service for numerous sporting bodies," he added.
IOC member in Ireland since 1995, president of the OCI since 1989, Hickey has voluntarily stepped aside from those posts while his case is heard in Brazil. Freed from prison custody two weeks ago, Hickey is living in an apartment in Rio but cannot leave the country. He specifically objects to reports which say he is under house arrest, "like with so many things with this case, has been misreported by the media".
Hickey describes his arrest and experience in a Brazilian prison as "a life changing experience for me, my wife, my four children and my five grandchildren".
He said he was "very heartened and humbled" by messages of support, letters, texts and emails from the "thousands of people in Ireland and from the international sporting world".
Investigators have released emails between Pat Hickey and IOC officials which shed more light on the scope of the Olympic Council of Ireland ticketing demands.
The emails show how hard Hickey pushed for hospitality company THG to become the sub agent for ticket sales for the OCI in Rio. THG was rejected as the Authorized Ticket Reseller byRio 2016 over concerns that it would not follow the rules.
In an April 2015 email Hickey thanks the IOC director of legal affairs Howard Stupp for helping to try and resolve the authorized ticket reseller issues for Rio. Pere Miro, deputy director general for relations with the Olympic Movement and Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi are copied in the email, with Dubi replying that he will follow-up.
IOC president Thomas Bach is also mentioned by Hickey in the email, saying that he had a phone conversation with Bach about the OCI ticketing strategy. "He confirmed he was in acceptance with it," Hickey wrote.
In another email, dated May 2015, Hellenic NOC chief Spyros Capralos informs Hickey that Rio 2016 have rejected a request to make THG the authorized ticket reseller for Greece. As in the case of Ireland, Rio 2016 said it was "not confident of your proposed ATR’s commitment to abide by the terms of the ticket sales agreement and to ensuring the integrity of the Rio 2016 ticketing program".
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of IOC officials or Capralos.
The inquiry that’s ensnared Hickey grew out of the August 5 arrest of THG executive Kevin Mallon in Rio de Janeiro. Police seized more than 700 tickets allocated to the Olympic Council of Ireland. Since then Mallon and Hickey have been charged with selling tickets for the purpose of touting, false advertising, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. Hickey is described by police as the ring leader.
The IOC tells Around the Rings it was not in a position to comment further on the email exchanges between Hickey and the IOC executives. But a spokeswoman assures "the IOC is ready to cooperate to clarify this matter".
Brazilian police have said they would like to speak to IOC President Thomas Bach about the Hickey case but say Bach is not suspected of wrongdoing.
Speaking in Croatia over the weekend, Bach said the IOC has not been contacted by investigators. Bach also insisted on the presumption of innocence for Hickey.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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