Rio de Janeiro police investigating a ticket-scalping case say they want the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to explain why Ireland's allocation of Summer Games tickets went up.

Police investigators say the Olympic Council of Ireland received 296 more tickets after exchanges between IOC head Thomas Bach and high-ranking IOC member Patrick Hickey.

Hickey is facing charges in Brazil for ticket scalping, conspiracy, and ambush marketing in a case that broke during the Olympics.

Investigator Aloysio Falcao said they found a text from July 2015 sent from Hickey to Bach requesting more tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for football, basketball and 100-metre finals.

Bach cancelled his trip to the opening of the Paralympics in Rio on Wednesday. Police said he would have been summoned to speak to investigators.

AP

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