PAT HICKEY considered quitting as Olympic Council of Ireland president five years ago following a campaign to oust him from the role.

The head of the Olympic movement today gave his support to Irish efforts to attract international athletes here in the run-up to the London Olympics.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said Ireland can benefit greatly from the London Olympics in 2012.

Security concerns for this summer’s Olympic Games intensified today after three bombs were planted at a police station in the host city Athens.

Security will be top of the agenda at two top-level meetings of international Olympic leaders this week, following today’s bomb blasts in Athens.

European Olympic Committee vice-president Pat Hickey has launched a scathing attack on the European Union for their failure to include an Article on Sport in their Treaty.

Belgian Jacques Rogge has won the race for the Presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after beating off the challenge of South Korea’s Kim Un-Yong to succeed the retiring Juan Antonio Samaranch.