Rui Pinto remains in witness protection after Portugal suspends removal

Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto will remain in Portugal's witness protection programme after authorities temporarily suspended a decision to remove him, BBC Sport reported. The 37-year-old, whose disclosures helped prompt the Premier League investigation into Manchester City, had been due to leave the programme on Saturday. He had previously warned that losing protection would endanger his life.

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Portugal's Ministry of Justice announced the reversal in a statement on Friday. According to the BBC, the ministry said the special security programmes commission had not adequately informed Pinto of the reasons for ending his protection or given him an opportunity to contest its decision. The suspension keeps the existing protection in place for now; it does not amount to a permanent resolution of his status.

Pinto will be given 10 days to examine a risk assessment by the commission that rates the threat to his safety as low. That assessment contrasts with his own account of the danger he faces. In a post on X, he thanked Justice Minister Rita Alarcao Judice and accused the commission of acting unlawfully and abusing its power when it initially decided to end his protection.

Pinto entered the Portuguese programme in 2020 after agreeing to assist authorities and share information gathered through Football Leaks. His disclosures included confidential emails and financial records concerning Manchester City. He supplied documents to German magazine Der Spiegel in 2018, and the publication used them in reporting about the club's finances and alleged financial fair play breaches.

The BBC reported that City were recently found guilty of all charges concerning breaches of Premier League financial regulations spanning the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons. The club have appealed against that decision. Pinto's continuing protection is a separate development concerning the Portuguese authorities' handling of his security arrangements.

Pinto describes himself as a whistleblower, but his activities have also led to criminal proceedings. He received a four-year suspended sentence in Portugal for offences including unlawful data access and attempted extortion. During his first trial in 2020, he wore a bulletproof vest amid enhanced security. Earlier this year, he was acquitted of 241 counts involving illegal access to email accounts of Portuguese sports bodies, including Benfica.