Rio police issue arrest warrants for sports executives involved in ticket touting scandal

International arrest warrants have been issued for a string of executives of the sports hospitality firm embroiled in the Irish Olympic ticket touting scandal after Brazilian police dramatically claimed the crisis stretches back a decade.

The revelation, which includes warrants to arrest a second Irishman and the multi-millionaire owner of a leading British football club, emerged last night as Sports Minister Shane Ross threatened to launch an independent government inquiry due to Olympic Council of Ireland stonewalling over the issue.

Speaking as Irishman Kevin James Mallon — the director of UK hospitality firm THG arrested last week — was refused bail by a Rio judge, Brazil’s civil police fraud unit yesterday confirmed they have issued international arrest warrants for other people over the case.