(ATR) Cartan Global says Rio 2016 tickets sold to THG were done through the proper channels.
Brazilian authorities have revealed emailslinking U.S. based hospitality and ticketing firm Cartan Global to the ongoing Rio 2016 ticketing scandal. The emails purport to show the purchase of ticketsfrom Cartanby European firm THG, another ticketing company which investigators believe illegally sold hospitality packages for the Rio Games.
A statement from Cartan Global to Around the Rings says that police are providing "misinformation" about the role in which the it played in the scandal.
"Cartan and its partner NOCs deny any involvement in any ticket schemes and allegations suggesting illicit conduct on the part of Cartan are baseless," the statement said. "While Cartan did sell tickets to THG Sports, Cartan was allowed to do since THG Sports resides in a European Economic Area Member State and the tickets were purchased from EEA Member States' inventories. Such sales are expressly provided for by the IOC and Rio 2016 Ticketing Sales Agreement.
"While Cartan is not privy to information concerning whether THG Sports subsequently engaged in improper conduct after purchasing the tickets, Cartan and its partner NOCs have had no role in any such activities."
Aloysio Falcao, one of the main investigators into the ticket scandal, told ATR that the police would like to question Greg Harney, an executive at Cartan. Falcao did not say if Harney would be questioned as a suspect, or as a witness in the case.
"Cartan is involved in this case," Falcao said. "We know Greg Harney helped THG get more tickets to sell here in Brazil, so he is involved in this scandal."
Cartan, based in Manhattan Beach, California, is the Authorized Ticket Reseller for 36 national Olympic committees around the world.
IOC Awaits Brazilian Call
The IOC says it is willing to speak with Brazilian authorities, but no requests have been received.
Brazilian investigators say they will now want to question IOC President Thomas Bach over text messages he received from Irish IOC member Patrick Hickey asking for extra tickets. Bach never responded to the messages, but authorities say the Olympic Council of Ireland received 296 tickets in the days after the request.
Investigators expected to speak to Bach around the opening of the 2016 Paralympics, which the IOC President was scheduled to attend. Bach cancelled his plans to return to Rio at the last minute to attend a state funeral for a former West German President. The IOC says a full schedule prevented Bach form making any appearances at the Paralympic Games.
"Neither the IOC nor the IOC President have been contacted by any Brazilian authority concerning a request for information. The IOC is in this respect only informed by media," the spokesperson said. "As said from the very first day on, the IOC is ready to cooperate to clarify this matter. The IOC has always acted following the rules and procedures."
The IOC said it would not comment any further on the matter as "it is an ongoing legal procedure against Mr Hickey for whom the presumption of innocence prevails."
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro
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