RIO DE JANEIRO -- European Olympic head Patrick Hickey of Ireland is spending the closing days of the Rio Games in a prison after his arrest in a ticket-scalping scandal, authorities said Friday.The 71-year-old International Olympic Committee executive was denied bail after his legal team argued unsuccessfully that he was being detained illegally following his early-morning arrest Wednesday at his hotel.Police only began questioning Hickey on Thursday because he was hospitalized for a day with chest pains following his arrest. Hickey has now been transferred to the sprawling Bangu prison complex in Rio, a police statement said. Hickeys Brazilian lawyers did not respond to an email seeking comment.Hickey has temporarily stepped down from his IOC duties, including his post on the ruling executive board and heading the influential umbrella group for Europes Olympic bodies.The former judo athlete is facing charges of conspiracy, ticket scalping and ambush marketing after Brazilian authorities alleged he was part of a plot to make $3 million by illegally selling Rio Games tickets above face value.Police said Irelands Olympic body helped transfer tickets to an unauthorized vendor who would set high fees and disguise the transaction as a hospitality package.The Olympic Council of Ireland board said it will not comment Hickeys criminal case, adding that he is receiving his own legal advice and is entitled to natural justice and due process.Hickey built his power base through judo, going on to lead the Irish Olympic team at the 1988 and 1992 Games before being elected to the IOC in 1995. He joined the executive board four years ago.The OCI has halted the earlier internal investigation established by Hickey before his arrest and set up an independent one. The Dublin-based organization said it will cooperate fully with a non-statutory government inquiry at home into the scandal.Rio police made their first arrests in the investigation last week when Kevin James Mallon, from the British hospitality provider THG, was held in Rio. Authorities have also issued warrants for four more executives at the company.Some Irish tickets for the Olympics opening ceremony with a face value of $1,400 were sold for $8,000, police said.The board of the Olympic Council of Ireland regrets that recent events in Brazil have overshadowed the many great performances of Team Ireland at the Rio Olympic Games, the organization said.---Rob Harris at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports Cheap Stiched NFL Jerseys . 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LONG POND, Pa. -- Jeff Gordon weaved his way through a mob of fans outside the media center, all screaming for an autograph from a driver they thought would never again wear a firesuit.He stepped over the tripod legs of three TV cameras lined against a side wall, patted a reporter on the back and took a seat on the dais where he was peppered with questions about how long his comeback tour might last.Ill be here as long as they need me, Gordon said. I say that very loosely.At Pocono Raceway, Gordon made it seem for hundreds of fans on Friday like he never left racing.Gordon 2.0 will last only as long as Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. Earnhardt will miss his third straight race Sunday and Gordon will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet for the second straight weekend. There is no timetable on Earnhardts return.What should have been a leisurely first summer of retirement for a driver once sponsored by AARP has instead turned into a hectic world tour for Gordon. He was vacationing in France when team owner Rick Hendrick asked him to come out of retirement. He returned to racing at the Brickyard in Indianapolis. Then it was off to a sponsorship commitment in Mexico. This weekend, he looks to extend his track record for wins with his seventh.His busiest task?Doing some laundry, Gordon said, smiling.Gordon can handle the busy load, though hes unsure how many more weeks he will be needed as NASCARs most popular substitute. Earnhardt warned Monday that his return to NASCAR could take longer than planned. No decision has been made by Hendrick Motorsports about next weeks race at Watkins Glen.With an off week following that, the smart move could involve benching Earnhardt at least one more race. Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion who turns 45 on Thursday, would make his 800th career start at the Glen.Its pretty cool that he has the opportunity to come out of retirement, Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch said. Its neat to have him here, of course.Busch led the most laps last week at the Brickyard en route to his second straight Indy win. Gordon was 13th in his sentimental return to Indy.I never saw him on the racetrack, Busch said.Gordon could be more of a factor at Pocono, and maybe beyond. He starts 24th -- his old car number that has since been yielded to Chase Elliott -- in Sundays race.Its even more odd that it went from one race to two races, he said. And tthen will it be more? I dont know.ddddddddddddGordon and Earnhardt chat via FaceTime and Junior has offered some advice on the 88. Gordon has assured his one-time teammate that his recovery should be his only priority.Just get well at the pace that is the right pace to do it, Gordon said. Nobody is putting any pressure or time frame on that.Gordon battled through his own health woes over the second-half of his career, suffering in stretches from consistent, shooting back pain.I could fight through it longer if I had to. I prefer not to, he said.Gordon should be cashing in on the perks of retirement.Imagine, Gordon at home dealing cards on the blackjack table presented by Las Vegas Motor Speedway while his gambling buddies take turns sipping from the 24 bottles of bourbon presented by Kentucky Speedway, or enjoying a perfect pour from an 18-liter wine bottle from Sonoma Raceway.Outside, the Shetland ponies from Texas Motor Speedway are stabled nearby to the Bandolero car from Atlanta Motor Speedway.OK, not quite.Gordon was feted with dozens of retirement presents from tracks in 2015, and hes too appreciative of the gestures to re-gift them to other friends. Most of the souvenirs are in storage.We havent done any blackjack and havent drank any whisky or wine or any of those things, he said.He paused and laughed, Well, I mean I have; I drank plenty but its just not from the collection I was given as a gift.Gordon would surely make an exception if he could bust open a bottle of bubbly in victory lane on Sunday.Gordon paused before he returned to the garage for a brief chat with track President Brandon Igdalsky (ever been to the south of France?) and opened the door where the crowd of pesky autograph seekers had grown.They waved No. 24 diecasts and No. 24 hats and No. 24 photos in his face.The fans should save their old memorabilia -- he remained adamant that no authorized merchandise of Gordon in the 88 would be produced.I have too much respect for what Dales going through, Gordon said.Yes, Gordons return has created quite the buzz during a lazy summer NASCAR season, but its not forgotten the excitement has come at the expense of the health of NASCARs most popular driver.I like seeing him, Igdalsky said as Gordon left, but I wish I didnt have to see him. 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