Rui Pinto keeps witness protection after Portuguese authorities reverse withdrawal

Rui Pinto, the Football Leaks founder whose disclosures helped prompt the Premier League investigation into Manchester City, will remain under witness protection in Portugal after authorities reversed a decision to withdraw it. BBC Sport reported that the protection had been due to end on Saturday, but will now continue while the process is reconsidered.

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The reversal follows a meeting on Thursday between Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice and the special security programmes commission, known as the CPES. According to Portuguese newspaper Observador, the commission found that Pinto had not been properly informed of the reasons for ending the programme or given the information and opportunity needed to challenge that decision.

Observador reported that the commission declared its September 22 decision invalid. Pinto is now to receive the risk reassessment report and relevant material from meeting minutes, with 10 working days to submit his response. The ministry said a further decision on whether protection should continue would come only after that procedure and consideration of any response he provides.

Pinto, 37, supplied German magazine Der Spiegel with confidential documents in 2018, including emails and financial records connected to Manchester City, BBC Sport reported. The magazine used the material to investigate the club's finances and alleged financial fair play breaches. City have appealed against the recent finding that they breached Premier League financial regulations covering the 2009–10 to 2017–18 seasons.

Pinto entered Portugal's witness protection programme in 2020 after agreeing to cooperate with authorities and provide information gathered through Football Leaks. His own legal history includes a conviction for offences including illegal access to data and attempted extortion, resulting in a four-year suspended sentence, according to BBC Sport. He has described his role as that of a whistleblower.

His lawyers had already asked the ministry to reassess the withdrawal and announced plans for an administrative appeal seeking to suspend it, Observador reported. Friday's development means the security measures stay in place pending a new commission decision. It does not establish that protection will be permanent: the review and Pinto's opportunity to respond still lie ahead.