Chief Executive of the Football Association of Ireland John Delaney, who also acts as vice-president to the Olympic Council of Ireland and sits on that body's executive committee, has lodged two defamation actions relating to media coverage of the Brazilian investigation of alleged ticket touting at the 2016 Olympic games, according to today's Sunday Times.
Mr. Delaney's solicitors have issued High Court proceedings against the Irish Examiner and SportsJoe.ie. These legal actions relate to their reporting of comments made by Brazilian police looking into what they [the Brazilian authorities] believe to be alleged irregularities in the sale of the OCI's allocated tickets for the games.
The Sunday Times also report that Mr. Delaney's lawyers have sent legal letters to the Irish Sun, the Irish Independent and theJournal.ie on the same subject.
On Thursday, Mr. Delaney issued a statement denying any involvement in the affair. In the statement, Mr Delaney said that
Over the past number of weeks, the Olympic Council of Ireland Rio Olympics ticketing issue has dominated the headlines and a number of serious allegations were made by a section of the Irish media suggesting involvement and wrong doing on my behalf.
These allegations arose out of events in Brazil, in particular the issuing of a warrant against my passport by the Brazilian authorities. As everyone should now be aware, this warrant was subsequently withdrawn, 10 days ago. In fact, the Brazilian police have never made any contact with me in relation to this issue.
Mr. Delaney said in the statement that "certain media outlets took the opportunity to make the most serious and defamatory allegations against me", and that "these matters are now in the hands of my legal advisers".
[the Sunday Times]
