Portuguese whistleblower Rui Pinto is facing the prospect of losing his state witness protection. The founder of the website Football Leaks exposed illegal practices in professional football, but was found guilty of cybercrimes and attempted extortion in 2023 and given a four-year suspended sentence. The Portuguese press debates whether or not the state should continue to protect him.
The Portuguese state is playing with Rui Pinto's life, writes Jornal de Notícias:
“The decision was taken three months ago, but was only communicated ten days before his entitlement to witness protection was due to expire. This is no coincidence. It was just when it emerged that Manchester City is at risk of losing its titles and being expelled from the Premier League over a fraud scandal. ... In other words, just when someone is even more likely to seek revenge. … Rui Pinto may be a hero or a villain – but whatever the case, he cannot be left without protection.
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