There is no chance of this happening if Hickey's court date is set for within the next two months, but, if a more remote date is selected, it appears possible he would be granted permission to leave the country so long as he pledges to return.

A court date is thought likely to be announced within the next week, with the process now in the hands of the judiciary.

But police claim it is "extremely unlikely" that the official would be permitted to return to Ireland while his case is before the courts, regardless of how long the legal process would take.

"I don't think this is possible," investigator Aloysio Falcao told the Irish Independent. 

"There is no process before the courts and this would most likely not happen."

The 71-year-old has been formerly charged with criminal organisation, ticket touting, ambush marketing, larceny, money laundering and tax evasion following his arrest in a dawn raid during last month's Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

He has reportedly had his passport retained by Brazilian authorities. 

A judge in Brazil has reportedly accepted these charges and he is now due to stand trial alongside compatriot Kevin Mallon, the director of THG Sports - one of two agencies at the centre of the controversy.

There has been speculation in the Irish Independent today that Hickey could be allowed to leave if the trial is not scheduled within the next two months.

"If the trial is scheduled for the next couple of months, Pat Hickey will obviously stay in Rio until it takes place," the newspaper has reported, quoting an unnamed source.

"However, if it looks like the trial will not happen for another year or two, he should get his passport back on condition that he return to Brazil for the trial. 

"In this scenario, he would be back in Ireland by next weekend and he would resume his role as President of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI).

"He is essentially at a crossroads."

The official, who temporarily stood down as President of the OCI following his arrest on August 17, learned late on Friday that charges against him had been accepted by a judge in Rio de Janeiro.

Hickey, also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board member and European Olympic Committees (EOC) President, has stepped down from his sporting roles amid the proceedings against him.

Although THG were the ATR for London 2012 and Sochi 2014, they were not selected for Rio 2016 and so had no rights to sell tickets.

It is alleged by Brazilian police, however, that Pro10, who were selected, were just a front operation to conceal THG's involvement.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) claimed on Friday (September 9) that its President Thomas Bach had not been approached by the police in Brazil to give evidence as part of the investigation.

Mark Adams, Bach's spokesman, denied in an email sent to all 97 IOC members - and obtained by insidethegames  - that they were refusing to cooperate with authorities.

"Neither the IOC nor the IOC President have been contacted by any Brazilian authority concerning a request for information," Adams wrote.

Ronaldo Oliveira, the head of specialised operations at the Civil Police in Rio de Janeiro, had claimed they wanted to to speak to Bach as a witness after his name appeared several times in emails and text messages discovered during the inquiry.

There is no suggestion that Bach has committed any offence.