Former OCI chief Pat Hickey allowed to leave Brazil

A court in Rio de Janeiro has ruled that Pat Hickey's passport should be returned to him and that he can leave Brazil "to treat a health problem" on condition he pay a bond to the court of one and half million Brazilian Reals (some €410,000).

It comes three months after his arrest in Rio for alleged ticket-touting at which point he temporarily stepped aside from his position as president of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI).

His arrest overshadowed Ireland’s participation in the Rio games.

Justice Juliana Leal de Melo of the Special Court for Supporter and Large Events in Rio de Janeiro, which had jurisdiction during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, ruled on Wednesday night that Mr Hickey can be allowed to leave Brazil, seeing as his health problem had been identified at an early stage. Mr Hickey was brought to hospital in Rio before being brought to Bangu maximum security prison.

In her deliberation, the judge said that on the grounds Mr Hickey “has no links with Brazil”, she would allow him to leave to receive medical attention. She noted that there was a risk that Mr Hickey may not return to Brazil, although this needed to be balanced with health concerns.

Process shelved

She rejected requests made that the legal process be shelved, due to a “lack of just cause”.

It is still unclear, however, exactly how soon his passport will be returned. Other members of the OCI, who had their passports temporarily seized during the investigation that followed the initial Rio ticket-touting allegations, waited 21 days before their passports were returned.

Last month, the family of 71 year-old Mr Hickey also reiterated their calls for his release home on medical grounds, indicating he is suffering from atrial fibrillation, and it “is our solemn wish that our dad and grandfather is allowed back to Ireland to receive urgent medical treatment for his heart condition. This, above all else, is our priority”.

Mr Hickey was arrested on the morning of August 17th, and after spending 11 days and nights locked up at Rio's Bangu prison, along with fellow Irish man Kevin Mallon, was released, partly due to his "critical health".

On September 10th, a Rio judge 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 still be facing up to seven years in jail.

It now remains to be seen if or when Mr Hickey does return to Rio to face those charges.He has denied the charges.

Earlier this month International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called for Pat Hickey’s release from Brazil on medical grounds.