Pat Hickey is back in Dublin to undergo medical treatment and has vowed once more to clear his name of any wrongdoing in relation to Olympic ticketing.
Technically still President of the Olympic Council of Ireland, though he did temporarily step aside while under arrest in Brazil, Hickey has stated he will not be seeking further re-election at the EGM scheduled to take place on February 9th.
Nominations for a place on the Executive Committee which runs the organisation are due in by January 11th and significant testing of the water is underway across the 36 sporting Governing Bodies who can nominate and will vote on the new order.
It is likely that as a member of the outgoing committee that Hickey will be present at the EGM and retain his own voting rights though that will depend on his medical treatment timetable.
In a statement issued last night on his arrival back to Dublin Hickey said:
“I have returned to Ireland where I will undergo ongoing medical treatment under the care of my medical consultant.”
“It has been an extremely traumatic few months for myself and my family.”
“Once again I wish to state that I am totally innocent of all charges against me.”
“I intend to adhere to any requests made by the Brazilian authorities and I will do everything possible to clear my name so that I can, in due course, get on with my life with my wife and family.”
“I am very grateful to the International Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) for so generously putting up the necessary funding to secure my release for my return to Ireland.”
“I wish to thank most sincerely those who sent messages of support to me and my family in recent months.”
“These meant so much to me at the most difficult time in my life and especially when, sadly, there was such a rush to judgment among some members of the media.”
“I will not be making any further comment until the appropriate time and I would respectfully ask for privacy for my family and myself.”
As an individual following such a gruelling period he deserves that.
The election of a new committee will attract significant interest and be seen as a marker for the future good governance of sport in Ireland.
That Pat Hickey will not be part of that will bring to an end a long period in which he has been a central figure. How history looks back on his time in charge will be largely coloured by events in the judicial system in Brazil and his strenuous fight to make sure that he is exonerated of any wrongdoing.
It will be important though as well that the different investigations under way in Ireland into the governance and management arrangements at the Olympic Council are also continued so that any lessons which need to be learned for the future are done so.
They are not a personal attack on him or any other individual, they are just a way to ensure that what is done to assist people participating in the Olympics is done in the right manner.
