Ex-OCI chief Pat Hickey backed by European Olympic leaders

Pat Hickey, the former president of the Olympic Council of Ireland who remains in Brazil awaiting trial on ticket-touting charges, has received strong support from European Olympic leaders.

Several delegates at the 45th European Olympic Committee (EOC) general assembly in Minsk, Belarus, yesterday expressed concern about Mr Hickey’s health, his treatment in Brazil and the lack of intervention by the Irish Government.

Mr Hickey (71) was arrested in Rio de Janeiro on August 17th last. Last month, a judge in Rio accepted the charges filed by prosecutors against him, of “facilitating ticket-touting, formation of a cartel and ambush or illicit marketing”. If found guilty, he could face up to seven years in jail.

According to an Irish representative attending the assembly, Mr Hickey’s situation is a source of “outrage” to European committee members.

‘Criminal offence’

The acting president of the EOC said Mr Hickey was not guilty of any criminal offence. “We have studied the allegations against Patrick Hickey and from what we know, he is not guilty of any criminal offence,” Janez Kocijancic said.

Mr Kocijancic took over the EOC presidency after Mr Hickey temporarily stepped down following his arrest.

Germany’s Michael Vesper, a member of the EOC executive committee, expressed his concern at the lack of intervention by the Government or Minister for Foreign Affairs, suggesting if he was arrested for a crime in a foreign country, he would expect a far greater level of support or intervention.

Concerns were also expressed about Mr Hickey’s health. Mr Kocijancic said: “His health is deteriorating. He has had problems with the heart. He needs heart surgery and doctors think he should be treated in Ireland.

“Our wish is that the authorities take this health situation very seriously and will allow him to come back to Ireland.”