Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto keeps witness protection pending new decision

Football Leaks founder Rui Pinto will remain under witness protection in Portugal after the decision to end his security programme was set aside. Observador reported that the Justice Ministry announced the reversal on Friday, following failures to explain the grounds to Pinto properly and give him an opportunity to respond. His protection remains in place pending a fresh decision.

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According to Observador's account of the ministry statement, Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice met the special security programmes commission on Thursday. The commission found that Pinto had not received the required notification or opportunity to challenge the proposed withdrawal under the witness-protection law. Its September 22 decision was consequently declared null, leaving the programme in force.

Pinto will receive the risk reassessment report and relevant material from the commission's meeting records, Observador reported. He will have 10 working days to submit a response. A new decision on whether to maintain or close the programme will follow that process and consideration of any submission he makes; the outcome remains unresolved.

BBC Sport reported that the 37-year-old had been due to leave the programme on Saturday. He had warned that losing protection would endanger his life, while the commission's risk assessment indicated a low threat to his safety. Pinto thanked the justice minister on X after the reversal and criticised the commission's handling of the original decision.

Pinto's disclosures included confidential emails and financial records concerning Manchester City. In 2018, he supplied material to German magazine Der Spiegel, whose investigations examined the club's finances and alleged financial fair play breaches, according to BBC Sport. The documents helped trigger the Premier League investigation into City. Pinto entered Portugal's protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities and supply information from Football Leaks.

BBC Sport also noted that Pinto, who describes himself as a whistleblower, received a four-year suspended sentence in Portugal for offences including illegal data access and attempted extortion. Earlier this year, he was acquitted of 241 counts concerning access to email accounts belonging to Portuguese sports organisations, including Benfica.