Portuguese authorities have ended whistleblower Rui Pinto’s protected-witness status, which he held after giving police access to millions of files gathered before his arrest. The decision comes amid the fallout from Manchester City’s financial case and despite an assault on Pinto in Lisbon in April; police assessed the risk to his safety as low. He has been advised to be cautious about family contacts and to avoid social media.

Pinto’s Football Leaks material, shared with Der Spiegel and its partners, helped prompt investigations by Uefa and the Premier League. City were found guilty by the Premier League of 114 charges covering nine seasons, after allegations of disguising more than £900m in funding; the club has until Friday to appeal. Pinto, who received a suspended four-year sentence in 2023 for offences including illegal access to data, called the ruling historic for English football and also criticised Fifa president Gianni Infantino.