Hickey to lose EU Olympic position

FORMER Olympic Council of Ireland boss Pat Hickey is set to lose his position as president of the European National Olympic Committees because he can’t seek re-election in November.

The revelation comes ahead of the board of the Olympic Council of Ireland’s meeting on Wednesday when they will consider the revelation in last week’s Irish Mail on Sunday that the International Olympic Committee’s Ethics Commission has initiated a procedure against Mr Hickey, 72, to see whether he has breached its code of ethics.

Until this procedure is concluded, and that is not expected until after the criminal trial process in Brazil concludes, Mr Hickey’s self-suspension means he cannot take part in the ENOC’s November elections. The ENOC paid the €410,000 bond that allowed Mr Hickey return home in December.

According to the ENOC it has not had any correspondence from Mr Hickey regarding him resuming his role. Meanwhile, the ENOC declined to answer any questions about the IOC’s Ethics Commission’s procedure against Mr Hickey. When asked about the procedure, his solicitor Giles Kennedy denied there was an ongoing probe insisting the IOC had misled the MoS.