Hickey Reportedly Cleared of Wrongdoing in Ireland

(ATR) A report set to be released next week in Ireland may clear Pat Hickey of any financial wrongdoing as head of the Olympic Council of Ireland.

The report was commissioned by Irish Sports Minister Shane Ross in the immediate aftermath of a ticketing scandal involving the OCI. Judge Carroll Moran produced the report, which initially was expected to take three months, but dragged on for nearly a year.

A report from the Irish Independent says the report will be released publicly next week by Ross, although Hickey’s legacy team could seek an injunction to block its release. Moran’s report focused on "policies, procedures, processes and practices" of OCI ticket distribution for the Olympics as well as the body’s "financial practices," according to the Independent. No mismanagement of OCI funds was found by Moran, media reports added.

Hickey declined to comment on the story to Around the Rings, citing the ongoing legal trial in Brazil. It is understood he could issue a statement once the report is public.

Moran lamented in the report that participation from the Hickey, the IOC, and Rio 2016 severely hampered the investigation. The report says there may be "information significant to issues herein of which the inquiry is unaware by reason of the silence of the parties not participating."

ATR understands that multiple parties would have cooperated with the inquiry but could not, upon advice from legal counsel given the active investigation in Brazil.

Request for comment from Rio-based prosecutor Marcos Kac on the upcoming release of the report was not returned. Hickey’s case remains in the Brazilian criminal justice system, although no trial date is set. In exchange for the right to return to Ireland to seek treatment, Hickey has agreed to accept all outcomes of the case.

Although the report says there was no criminal wrongdoing on the part of Hickey, it does blast his management of the OCI. The Independent says the report suggests Hickey "was more concerned with his commercial arrangements than for supporters of the Irish team."

Moran concluded that OCI held a "concealed relationship" with ticket reseller THG. The company was a previous Authorized Ticket Reseller for the 2012 and 2014 Olympics. THG was barred from being OCI’s reseller for Rio 2016, but more than 700 tickets were found with executive Kevin Mallon ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony.

Mallon and Hickey were both arrested during the 2016 Olympics. Hickey was charged with ticket touting, forming a cartel, money laundering, and other charges. He faces up to seven years in jail from the charges.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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