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Hickey reported to have left Brazil

Pat Hickey has spent the past four months in Brazil
Pat Hickey has spent the past four months in Brazil

Pat Hickey is reported to be on his way back to Ireland after four months in Brazil.

On Monday, he was given the go ahead to leave Brazil by a judge in Rio de Janeiro.

Justice Marcello Rubioli ordered that Mr Hickey's passport be returned to him after it was confirmed that 1.5m Brazilian real (approximately €410,000) was lodged with the court.

The Association of National Olympic Committees loaned the money to Mr Hickey in order to allow him to return to Ireland for medical treatment.

Mr Hickey, who has temporarily stepped aside as president of the Olympic Council of Ireland during an investigation into alleged mis-selling of tickets for the 2016 Games in Rio, has denied all allegations made against him.

He was arrested in August and spent two weeks in Bangu Prison in Rio.

In September, Judge Juliana Leal de Melo from the Special Court for Supporters and Large Events, accepted charges against Mr Hickey and another Irishman, Kevin Mallon, that were forwarded by public prosecutor Marcus Kac.

They are among ten defendants charged with criminal organisation, ticket touting, ambush marketing, larceny, money laundering, and tax evasion.

Also charged with Mr Hickey and Mr Mallon are co-defendants Marcus Paul Evans, Michael Glynn, Ken Murray, Eamonn Collins, Maarten Van Os, David Patrick Gilmore, Martin Studd, and Barbara Zancope Carnieri.