“His arrest has no legal support.”
A statement released on behalf of Pat Hickey has claimed that the former Olympic Council of Ireland president did not resist arrest and that “his detention was required by the police authority under mere assumptions.”
Hickey was arrested in his hotel on August 17 and faces charges of facilitating ticket touting, formation of a cartel and ambush or illicit marketing.
The 71-year-old was taken to hospital after falling sick at the time of his arrest but is currently in a Bangu prison, sharing a cell with Kevin Mallon having been denied bail.
In a statement released to the Independent.ie, Hickey’s Brazilian lawyer Arthur Lavigne refuted police claims.
“Mr Hickey has been arrested due to suppositions that are not supported by any material evidence or proof of the alleged facts presented by the police. His arrest has no legal support,” Lavigne wrote.
The claim that Hickey tried to resist arrest was also denied.
“He was sleeping already for two days in one of the three rooms that were allocated to him and his family, due to an insomnia, and he did not want to disturb his wife. It would be ridiculous to try to escape and go to the next room, which was officially booked to him.”
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