Corruption

Transparency key to sports funding says minister

Sports Minister Patrick O’Donovan has vowed to impose strict new transparency rules on sporting bodies receiving State funds in response to the Rio Olympics controversy unless full clarity on how money is spent is provided.The Fine Gael minister increased the pressure on the Olympic Council of Ireland and other organisations as it emerged THG director Kevin James Mallon will appear in a Rio court within two weeks over a multi-million euro ticket scandal and further questions were raised over the involvement of Pat Hickey.

Speaking before returning to Brazil for the start of the Paralympic Games on Wednesday, Mr O’Donovan stressed that “the cost of receiving public money is 100% probity and 100% compliance”.

And if groups do not want to “adhere” to the situation, he warned: “Don’t come to the public purse looking for capital funding.”

Mr O’Donovan’s comments come just days after a Government-backed independent review was set up to examine issues surrounding the ongoing Olympic ticket scandal and as a separate OCI-review into itself by Grant Thornton accounts also takes place.