The director of THG Sports, which is one of two agencies at the centre of the controversy over alleged illegal ticket sales at the Rio 2016 Olympics, has returned to Ireland according to his lawyer ©Getty Images

The director of THG Sports, one of two agencies at the centre of the controversy over alleged illegal ticket sales at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, has returned to Ireland according to his lawyer.

Kevin Mallon was arrested in Brazil in August with police alleging that more than 700 tickets, organised in envelopes and marked for sale, were found in a safe with him.

He was later charged with ambush marketing, ticket touting, tax evasion, criminal association and larceny.

THG were the Irish authorised ticket reseller (ATR) for London 2012 and Sochi 2014, but were not selected for Rio 2016, so had no rights to sell tickets.

It is alleged by Brazilian police that Pro10 Sports Management, the Dublin-based company who were selected, were just a front operation to conceal THG's involvement.

Franklin Gomes, Mallon's lawyer, said his client is already back with his family, having left Brazil yesterday after more than four months in the country.

The Irishman spent a short time sharing a cell with Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) and European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Patrick Hickey, also arrested in connection with the alleged scam, in the high security Bangu prison in west Rio de Janeiro.

Kevin Mallon had been sharing a cell with Patrick Hickey, pictured, in the high security Bangu prison in west Rio de Janeiro ©Getty Images
Kevin Mallon had been sharing a cell with Patrick Hickey, pictured, in the high security Bangu prison in west Rio de Janeiro ©Getty Images

Hickey was detained during a dawn raid at Rio 2016 on August 17 and remained in Brazil until last week.

He was charged with various ticketing offences, which reportedly include criminal organisation, ticket touting, ambush marketing, money laundering and tax evasion.

The 71-year-old received permission to leave Rio earlier this month after a court bond of €410,000 (£350,000/$429,000) was paid in a loan by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

Like Hickey, Mallon was released on bail in late August but his passport was held by Brazilian officials until this week after a bond of BRL$750,000 (£187,000/$229,000/€219,000) was lodged with a Brazilian court.

Mallon, who maintains his innocence on all charges, has signed an agreement to continue to fully engage with and cooperate with the ongoing legal process in Brazil.

"Kevin will return to Brazil when he is called by the courts," Gomes, who added the legal team had been focusing on getting Mallon back to Ireland to spend Christmas with his infant child and family, told the Irish Times. 

THG has previously said Mallon did not sell or seek to sell the tickets but was holding them for collection by clients of Pro10.