World Cup Ticket Scam Suspect 'Not Fugitive'

A British man accused of running a World Cup ticket touting operation is not a "fugitive", according to his company.

Brazilian police said on Thursday they considered Ray Whelan to be "on the run" after he left his Rio de Janeiro hotel.

However, his employer, Match Services, believes Mr Whelan's movements within Brazil were not restricted under the terms of his release.

Mr Whelan is suspected of supplying tickets to a touting gang working at the World Cup.

He is a director of Match Services, a subsidiary of the Byrom Group which owns Fifa's ticket and hospitality rights,

A statement from the firm said: "Match must emphasise its understanding that the terms of Ray Whelan's previous release did not restrict Ray Whelan's movements, provided he stayed within Brazil.

"We do not believe that the term 'fugitive' is appropriate under the circumstances as he is presently with his lawyer.

"We understand that any accused in Brazil has the fundamental right to resist a coercion that he believes to be arbitrary and illegal."

CCTV footage of Mr Whelan shows he did not rush from his hotel, added the company.

Mr Whelan was first arrested on Monday on the basis of telephone taps in which he was heard discussing $25,000 (£14,500) cash deals for ticket packages with Lamine Fofana, an Algerian suspected of being the conduit for hundreds of tickets.

He was released on bail on Tuesday morning but on Thursday a judge approved an arrest warrant, a precursor to his being formally charged.

Under the order he was to be taken into custody along with 10 other suspects.

Officers went to his hotel, the upmarket Copacabana Palace, but found he had left by a staff entrance an hour earlier.

Police later said in a statement: "Teams from the 18 Precinct (Flag Square), coordinated by the delegate Fabio Barucke, were at the Copacabana Palace Hotel on the afternoon of Thursday, to comply with probation warrant issued by the court against Raymond Whelan.

"According to the delegate, the English fled out the back door of the hotel and is now considered a fugitive."

Mr Whelan's whereabouts still appear to be unknown.

Match says it has not spoken to him or his lawyer since they left the hotel and therefore "cannot comment on his circumstances".

"Ray Whelan has not yet been granted the due process of a fair trial," said the company. "Match remains absolutely confident that any charges raised against Ray will be rebutted."

Match has previously described the arrest of Mr Whelan as "arbitrary and illegal" and accused the police of failing to understand the ticket and hospitality market.

They say Mr Whelan could not be expected to know that touting suspect Fofana was banned from buying products, and that while cash deals are unusual it is not a breach of the rules.

Mr Whelan surrendered his passport as a condition of his bail and is not permitted to leave Brazil.