Minister for sport Shane Ross has expressed his bewilderment that OCI boss Pat Hickey will refuse to answer questions regarding the ticket touting scandal during these Olympic Games.
The Olympic Council president met Ross in Rio at 1.30am Irish time for what transpired to be an entirely fruitless meeting, with Mr Hickey declining to give Mr Ross any extra information about the Irish tickets at the centre of a Brazilian police investigation.
In an unbelievable twist, Hickey also confirmed to Ross that the OCI would not cooperate with any kind of independent enquiry that the government might set up to explore the issue further. Bit of a waste of a flight, so, really.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ross confirmed that Hickey refused to answer any specific questions under legal advice, describing the meeting as "fairly tense, fairly direct, fairly frank" while claiming he was "absolutely stunned" at the response, and that talks had "met a brick wall."
A statement released earlier by Ross read:
The Minister emphasised the necessity of independence and rigour in such investigations, in terms of establishing their credibility.
The OCI refused the Minister’s request, citing legal advice.
The OCI also stated that it would not provide any information to any third party, including any independent inquiry the Minister might establish, until such time as the case concludes.
While the Minister accepts that due process and natural justice must take its course, he does not accept that there is any legal basis for refusing to accept independent members on the OCI’s inquiry.
Hickey was accompanied to the meeting by OCI vice-president Willie O'Brien, and claimed to Ross that further discussing the issue "might prejudice the case before the Brazilian courts".
The Minister will now seek the advice of Attorney General Marie Whelan as well as his junior minister Patrick O'Donovan, saying:
A decision will be made on the basis of these consultations.
