By Andrew Warshaw
May 8 – Ray Whelan, the British director who was arrested and detained in Brazil after being wrongly accused of selling VIP World Cup tickets at inflated prices, is back working as a consultant for Match Services, FIFA’s official marketing partner, and is planning to write a book about the entire experience.
Whelan has been out of the limelight since being cleared of all charges in February by the Brazilian justice authorities but was a familiar face at this week’s Soccerex Asian Forum in Jordan where he was conducting totally unrelated business and was warmly received by delegates.
Although he cannot discuss the case until the necessary judicial paperwork has been completed, Whelan and his employers clearly felt vindicated when the case was closed, with no evidence to support the accusations against him.
Whelan was arrested in June last year and held in Rio de Janeiro’s infamous Bangu prison before being initially released on bail. It is understood that he was never asked a single question by police whilst under investigation.
MATCH director Jaime Byrom maintained throughout the case that Whelan was innocent and was fulfilling the company’s obligations by legitimately trying to resell packages that had been returned to MATCH at the last minute.
Now living back in Manchester after spending several years in Brazil, Whelan is travelling the world again yet is still waiting for the formal written verdict from Brazil covering the entire judicial process.
“I cannot saying anything for the time being but in time I hope to write a book,” said Whelan. “I’m happy to be back doing a job I’ve done for several years and getting on with my life.”
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