Head of Olympic Council of Ireland Pat Hickey arrested in Brazil

It has just been announced that the head of the Olympic Council of Ireland Pat Hickey has been arrested in Rio over alleged illegal Olympic ticket sales. Hickey is also the head of the European Olympic Committee.

From the BBC News...."His arrest comes days after a man was caught in Rio with 800 illegal tickets. Police say Mr Hickey, who also heads the Olympic Council of Ireland, tried to escape when they came to arrest him. They say he slid his Olympic pass under the door when police came knocking and fled into the adjacent hotel room, where his son had been staying until recently."

Links...
BBC News
RTE Sport
Brazilian Newspaper article

Hickey's passport and credentials were seized by Brazilian police

 

Olympic Council of Ireland release video profile of Gold medalist Rob Heffernan

The Olympic Council of Ireland have just released to YouTube a profile video of race walker Rob Hefferman. 

In the video he talks about his dedication to his sport despite missing out on medals and the various dissappointments he has experienced in recents years. He's put those dissappointments behind him today with his Gold Medal win at the at the World Athletics Championship in Moscow.

Olympic Council of Ireland announce Irish Olympic Team...

The Olympic Council of Ireland have just announced those who have qualified for the Irish team for the 2012 Olympics in London.

This is the athletics team in alphabetical order...
ATHLETICS    
Jessie Barr    Womens 4 x 400m Relay
Claire Bergin    Womens 4 x 400m Relay
Brendan Boyce    Mens 50K Road Walk
Linda Byrne    Womens Marathon
Fionnuala Britton    Womens 10,000m
Michelle Carey    Womens 4 x 400m Relay
Alistair Cragg    Mens 5,000m
Catriona Cuddihy    Womens 4 x 400m Relay
Joanne Cuddihy    Womens 400m
Colin Griffin    Mens 50K Road Walk
Marian Heffernan    Womens 4 x 400m Relay
Rob Heffernan    Mens 20K and 50K Road Walk
Paul Hession    Mens 200m
Ava Hutchinson    Womens Marathon
Catriona Jennings    Womens Marathon
Mark Kenneally    Mens Marathon
Olive Loughnane    Womens 20K Road Walk
Ciaran O’Lionaird    Mens 1,500m
Derval O’Rourke    Womens 100m Hurdles
Tori Pena    Womens Pole Vault
Stephanie Reilly    Womens 3,000m Steeplechase
Deirdre Ryan    Womens High Jump

Ireland sends A Team to the 2012 London Olympics...

No....not that A-Team!

At the start of August, the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) confirmed that only athletes achieving ‘A’ standards will be selected for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The OCI said "This confirmation follows media speculation regarding ‘B’ standards in athletics. We both are absolutely and totally committed to ‘A’ standards only”

In a recent article in the Sunday Independent, Eamonn Sweeney makes a case for including 'B' standard athletes as well. He argues that the 'A' standard only qualification is just a reaction to public opinion and that the experience gained by younger athletes would stand to them for future events.

He is obviously not alone in that thinking with the likes of Eamonn Coghlan also making the case for 'B' standard.

The article can be seen here HERE