The family of Pat Hickey, the president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, have said they are concerned about his health and the way he is being treated by the Brazilian authorities.
In a statement issued through a solicitor, they called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and Minister for Sport Shane Ross to urgently intervene in addressing the "extremely worrying issues" surrounding his arrest and detention.
Mr Flanagan has responded, saying he will meet with the family in the coming days, that Mr Hickey is receiving consular assistance, but that his department “cannot provide legal advice or interfere in any way in the judicial processes in another country”.
Mr Hickey (71), is being held in prison in Rio de Janeiro after being arrested by police investigating suspected illegal dealings involving tickets to the Olympics. He has said he is innocent of any wrongdoing.
“This arrest and detention occurred over seven days ago and still no charges have been brought, nor has an appropriate venue for a bail application been made available to Pat Hickey,” the family said.
They said they are very worried about the manner in which Mr Hickey was arrested, his detention in a high security prison without charge, the effects of such detention on Mr Hickey’s health, and the pre-trial disclosure of what is propoerted to be evidence to the media, without any right of reply for Mr Hickey. They said that the latter is leading to unbalanced reporting.
The family said it is very worried about Mr Hickey’s right to a fair hearing, given how he has been treated to date.
The solicitor acting for the family, Anne Marie James, of Kirwan McKeown James solicitors, said she had been asked by them to make contact with the Brazilian ambassador to Ireland, Alfonso José Cardoso, to make their concerns known to him.
“The Hickey family is gravely concerned about the effect this degrading and humiliating ordeal has had on their father and grandfather, and how it continues to affect his physical and mental health.
Serious heart condition
“He has a serious heart condition and they are extremely anxious that he would be immediately released on bail and given the opportunity to respond to the accusations. They also, as a priority, want to get him home to Ireland as they have increasing concerns about his safety.”
The family called on Mr Flanagan to immediately issue a statement setting out the steps the Department of Foreign Affairs is taking to object to the manner in which an elderly Irish citizen was arrested and is still being detained in Brazil.
“It was entirely inappropriate and unacceptable for a 71-year-old Irish citizen be taken from his bedroom, arrested and walked in a state of undress before a pre-arranged camera crew, after which film and still shots were released to the global media.”
The family said they hoped to meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny when he returns from holidays.
Mr Flanagan, in his statement, said his officials are in ongoing contact with the Hickey family and with legal representatives acting on Mr Hickey’s behalf. “Senior officials of the department met with Mr Hickey’s Dublin-based solicitors on Wednesday, August 24th, and discussed the family’s concerns in detail, and explained the department’s approach to this consular case.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing ongoing consular assistance to Mr Hickey through the Irish Embassy and Consulate in Brazil, he said.
Meanwhile, the OCI has appointed Grant Thornton to conduct a review of its handling of the ticketing arrangements for the Rio games.
The council said it is intended that a report into its handling of tickets will be concluded by Monday, October 10th. The report will be given to Judge Carroll Moran, who has been asked by the Government to head up a non-statutory inquiry into the council’s arrangements in relation to ticketing.
The Grant Thorton Forensic Services team has been asked to look at the policies, procedures, processes and practices involving in the receipt, distribution and sale of tickets implemented by the council for the 2016 games. 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.
The financial services firm has been asked to look at how Pro10 was appointed, how it operated, and “interactions between Pro10 and THC in relation to OCI’s ticket allocation”.
The views of athletes’ families and their experience of securing tickets, is to form part of the review, as will corporate governance generally at the OCI.
