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Minister Ross on OCI Ticket Investigation
Statement by Transport Minister Shane Ross:
Today, I learned from our Ambassador here in Brazil that a second Irish citizen has been arrested in connection with the Brazilian authorities’ investigation into alleged ticket touting. I understand that person has accepted consular assistance and our Consul General is engaging with him.
Given the seriousness of this matter, and in the interests of taking swift and decisive action, I will be returning to Dublin as quickly as possible. I will immediately consult with my officials, with Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan, and with the Attorney General with a view to considering the options open to the Government and decide the best course of action.
Minister Ross has, over recent days, held meetings concerning the investigation by the Brazilian authorities into alleged ticket touting. The Brazilian authorities had arrested an Irish citizen, Mr. Kevin Mallon, to whom consular assistance is being provided. Given that the tickets at the centre of the controversy were earmarked for the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI), Minister Ross sought meetings with:
· the President and First Vice-President of the OCI, Mr. Pat Hickey and Mr. Willie O’Brien;
· the Director General of the International Olympic Committee (the IOC), Mr. Christophe de Kepper; and
· Mr. Donovan Ferreti, the head of the Rio Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (ROCOG).
A meeting with the OCI took place on the evening of Sunday, 14 August and a meeting with the IOC took place on 15 August. A meeting with Mr. Ferreti will not now take place.
Today (17 August, 2016), news has broken of the arrest of a second Irish citizen in connection with the OCI ticketing investigation.
As has been well reported, the Minister has been seeking to get to the bottom of the OCI ticketing allegations since his arrival here in Rio. In fact, he came straight to a meeting with OCI President Pat Hickey from the airport. He robustly challenged the OCI’s position that it would not accept an independent member onto its investigative panel.