Rio Police Want Thomas Bach Explanation

(ATR) Rio investigators say they now need to speak to IOC President Thomas Bach to clear up his involvement in the Irish ticketing scandal.

Aloysio Falcao, one of the main investigators with the Civil Police, told Around the Rings that as of today there has been no communication between the IOC and Rio investigators. Falcao said that investigators had hoped to speak to IOC President Thomas Bach ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2016 Paralympics. Bach was scheduled to arrive in Rio for the ceremonies, but cancelled his plans to attend a memorial service in Germany.

Falcao said that investigators had hoped to question Bach as a "witness," not as a suspect in the case. He said that police had found text messages sent by Hickey to Bach asking for additional tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, and the finals for athletics, men’s basketball, and men’s football.

Bach never responded to the messages, but afterwards the Olympic Council of Ireland received 296 tickets to these events. Brazilian police now need to see if there is a connection to the late allocation. Police only found the awarded tickets after looking at spreadsheets from Hickey’s computer allegedly made by Martin Burke, sporting director of the OCI. Investigators say they now would like to speak to Burke about his involvement.

"We have to interview Bach and others at the IOC," Falcao said. "We need to know if Bach has influenced the ticketing program of the [OCI] and the Authorized Ticket Reseller (ATR).

"There has been no communication so far. They left after the Olympic Games. We were waiting for Thomas Bach; we are going to communicate with them to answer our questions. We expect cooperation with them," said the police investigator.

The IOC has steadfastly maintained it has been "cooperating" with the investigation, although there has been no explanation on the extent ofthe cooperation. A spokesperson for the IOC says "the IOC fully complies with the applicable laws".

Requests from ATR for comment from the IOC about the new claims from investigators are still pending.

At a packed press conference Thursday in Rio de Janeiro, investigators displayed emails between Patrick Hickey, THG owner Marcus Evans, and another Rio 2016 ticket reseller, U.S.-based Cartan Global. Police read emails between Evans and Cartan Global staffer Greg Harney, which discussed the sale of tickets from Cartan to THG.

Police then showed copies of documents that purport to show THG selling hospitalitypackages through Kevin Mallon at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The trouble is that THG is not the authorized ticket reseller in Ireland for Rio tickets. Mallon was arrested in Rio August 5 with more than 700 tickets allocated to the Olympic Council of Ireland.

THG served as the ATR for the Olympic Council of Ireland for the London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Games. Emails released by investigators seemed to show that THG was appointed the ATR for the OCI during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics and Hickey was advised to sever the relationship. Requests for comment on the email were not returned.

Hickey, Olympic Council of Ireland president and an IOC member since 1995, has stepped aside from his Olympic functions after his arrest August 17. He is not allowed to leave Brazil while the inquiry is underway.

The case against Patrick Hickey and Kevin Mallon is in the hands of a judge who must decide whether to accept charges filed by a Brazilian prosecutor. The decision is expected in the coming days.

Both men are charged with selling tickets for the purpose of touting, false advertising, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. Hickey is described by police as the head of the scheme.

The evidence released was the first time Cartan has been linked to the ticket inquiry. Rio investigators said they will now seek to question Harney in his role.

"Cartan is involved in this case," Falcao said to ATR. "We know Greg Harney helped THG get more tickets to sell here in Brazil, so he is involved in this scandal."

Harney told ATR he could not comment without speaking to Cartan Global executives first.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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