Rio tickets controversy - Irish officials must not be scapegoated

After its five-hour meeting on Sunday night, the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) named a three-person committee to investigate the Rio ticket scandal, and the council also announced the hiring of an international accountancy firm to conduct an independent review of ticketing arrangements.

Its report will then be forwarded to the judge selected to chair the State inquiry into the controversy. The reports could be important in re-establishing the OCI’s credibility.

The Government’s inquiry by a retired judge will be on a non-statutory basis, so the OCI’s full co-operation could be important in deciding whether the Government later needs to go further and establish a full statutory inquiry.