International

Police in Brazil investigating illegal Olympic ticket sales have arrested the head of the European Olympic Committees, Irishman Patrick Hickey.

Mr Hickey, 71, is suspected of being involved in a scheme to sell tickets for higher than their face value.

He was taken to hospital as a precaution, and will probably stay the night there, police said.

When officers went to his hotel room on Wednesday morning they found his wife there with his Olympic credentials.

Mrs Hickey said her husband had left Rio de Janeiro for Ireland at the weekend, police told a news conference.

With the help of the hotel they began a search and found Mr Hickey in the room next door, they said.