Tag Archives: Rio

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From top: Pat Hickey and Michael Clifford

Anthony Sheridan of Public Inquiry, writes:

Journalist Michael Clifford was full of admiration for (recently arrested) Olympic Council of Ireland President Pat Hickey in yesterday’s Irish Examiner.

…On Minister Shane Ross’s attempt to get answers from Hickey:

Mr Ross discovered, as many before him had, that Mr Hickey is a wily old dog who can bite as well as others might bark.

On Hickey’s refusal to cooperate with Ross:

Take a hike, minister, this is my baby, the long-standing OCI president conveyed.

On Hickey’s patronising dinner invite to Ross:

Say what you like about Pat Hickey, but you gotta love his chutzpah.

On Ross’s intention to seek the advice of the Attorney General:

You can imagine the sheer delight Marie Whelan would enjoy if told that Shane Ross was on the line.

Just a few short weeks ago, Miss Whelan was subjected to acute embarrassment at the cabinet table when Mr Ross rejected her advice on the abortion issue as “just an opinion”.

Now the same minister plans to run to her seeking some form of advice that might save his ego from abrupt deflation.

On Ross’s poor handling of the scandal:

Perhaps Mr Ross should take up the invitation to dine with Pat Hickey. The latter would undoubtedly be able to tell the politician a thing or two about politics.

The question Irish citizens have for establishment journalists like Clifford is: When are you going to address the rampant political corruption that has destroyed our country?

Journalist Michael Clifford: In praise of Pat Hickey (Anthony Sheridan, PublicEnquiry

MICHAEL CLIFFORD: Shane Ross left red faced but you gotta love Pat Hickey’s chutzpah (Michael Clifford, Irish Examiner)

Earlier: Pat Hickey Arrested And Hospitalised In Rio

Previously: To Clear A Good Name

Rollingnews

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From top: Pro 10 offices, Main Street, Lucan, Co Dublin; THG logo

Further to the Rio ticket brouhaha

The Irish Examiner reports:

A “close commercial relationship” exists between two firms at the heart of the multi-million euro Olympics ticket touting scandal, it was admitted last night.

…Amid allegations by Brazilian police that THG [part of the Marcus Evans Group] has been involved in a decade-long global ticket touting scandal it has attempted to cover-up by “camouflaging” increased prices by including hospitality services, the company initially denied any connection to Pro10.

However, a THG spokesman last night told the Irish Examiner it has “close commercial links” with the smaller firm.

“There may well have been a close commercial relationship between Pro10 and THG because that is a normal thing when they are doing big things in Rio,” said the spokesman. “These guys [Pro10], I am not excusing it and I do not know the answer, but these guys are a small company, when this news broke they didn’t know how to handle it.”

Meanwhile, The Irish Times reports:

When the Irish Times rang Pro10’s Lucan office this week it was redirected to a voicemail where the message noted that the voicemail was full. It went on to say: “Thank you for calling Marcus Evans. Our office is now closed.”

When contacted, a spokesman for Pro10 Sports Management said it too was “puzzled” as to how the reference to Marcus Evans appeared on a phone line which was supposed to have been run by it.

He said the number in question had been shut down and expressed surprise it was now live again. He stressed that Pro10 was not affiliated to the Marcus Evans Group.

And in a separate article:

Pro10, which was established by two Irish football agents and a Dublin mortgage broker shortly before being awarded the Olympic ticketing contract, says it handled all Rio ticket enquiries itself during Irish office hours.

…“Outside of these hours, and because of the time difference between Ireland and Brazil, the Pro10 phone line diverted to the THG phone line as this phone line was manned round the clock and could deal with any collection queries [in Rio] for Pro10 customers,” it said.

…Pro10 insists it has no commercial relationship with THG and the UK company was not paid for manning its phone lines. It also insists neither THG nor Mr Mallon were paid for acting as the point of contact for tickets collection for Pro10 customers in Rio.

Close ties between firms at heart of Olympics ticket touting scandal revealed (Daniel McConnell and Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, Irish Examiner)

What is the story with the Olympics ticketing controversy? (Conor Pope, Irish Times)

THG manned tickets hotline for Pro10 ‘to ensure 24-hour cover’ (Mark Paul, Tom Hennigan, Irish Times)

Previously: Fresh Scalps

Rollingnews

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A Brazilian judge has ordered the arrest of four executives of international sports hospitality company THG Sports for fraudulent ticket sales at the Olympics, police officials said.

The police did not name the four executives but said they were directly involved in a scheme to overcharge for tickets to the first Games held in South America.

Last week police detained THG director Kevin James Mallon and a translator employed by the company, alleging that they could have made 10 million reais ($3 million) from buying tickets and reselling them at a higher price.

At the time, THG denied the accusations. The company could not be reached immediately for comment about the latest arrests.

Brazil judge orders more arrests for Olympic ticketing fraud (Reuters)

Earlier: Toutragous

Previously: The Golden Tickets

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Olympic Council of Ireland tweetz:

Katie [Taylor] has 90 seconds to turn this around #TeamIreland

Come on, Katie!

UPDATE:

Mmf.

UPDATE:

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A devastatingly hard to watch post fight interview with Katie Taylor.

Via RTÉ Sport

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Seriously.

Ireland’s eventing team rider Padraig McCarthy, from Tipperary, and his horse Simon Porloe fall during their cross country performance at the Rio Olympics this afternoon.

Both are reported to be “OK”.

Via Team Ireland

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Sources in Rio have revealed that the boxer was tested in recent days and a banned substance is believed to have shown up in the sample.

Officially, no confirmation of the alleged positive sample has been given by Sport Ireland or the Olympic Council of Ireland.

It is understood that the boxer was subjected to a domestic test in Ireland before travelling to Rio, but news of the positive sample only emerged earlier today.

…the boxer faces the possibility of being banned from competing in the games which are due to commence tomorrow.

UPDATE: Irish boxer fails drug test on eve of Rio Olympics, reports (Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner)

Meanwhile…

Irish boxing team captain Paddy Barnes, who will carry the Irish flag at tomorrow’s opening ceremony, intervenes.

More as we get it.

Update:

Michael O’Reilly?

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Rory McIlroy speaking at a press conference this morning

Further to his recent decision to opt out of the Rio Olympics due to the the Zika virus…

Rory McIlroy commented on his decision at a press conference this morning ahead of The Open.

Rory McIlroy: “I’ve no regrets about it [deciding not to take part in Rio Olympics] and I’ll probably watch the Olympics but I’m not sure golf will be one of the events I’ll watch.”

Reporter: “Which events will you watch in that case?”

McIlroy: “Probably the events that, track and field, swimming, diving. The stuff that, the stuff that matters.”

Rory McIlroy Gets Brutally Honest About Golf At The Olympics (Balls.ie)

Rory McIlroy takes six shots to get out of bunker ahead of The Open (Sky Sports)

Previously: Blame It On Rio

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The latest video from Paralympics Ireland.

For their More Than Sport campaign, featuring Paralympic shooter, Seán Baldwin, who says:

“The day that changed everything for me – November 27th, 2003 – was the day that I became an above the knee amputee. I lost my leg while I was serving with the Irish Defence Forces and when I got to hospital after the accident, I remember being told lots of bad news – the first of this was that I only had a few hours to live! Thankfully, I’m still here though.

“Later, after I had woken up from an induced coma, I realised how bad my injuries were – the most obvious of these was that l had lost my right leg from above the knee. When I woke up and realised what had happened to me, I found it very hard to find a bright side, but that didn’t stop me from looking.

“Sport has helped me every step of the way since. It took me two years after the accident to take up shooting, but I set it as one of my goals and I achieved it. If I can inspire a generation – or even just one person – to take up a sport and follow what they love, then I have done my job. That’s more than sport to me.”

The Irish team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will be officially announced tomorrow.

Paralympics Ireland

Previously: Running Down A Dream