Police in Rio de Janeiro have declared Ray Whelan, the English director of FIFA’s ticket and hospitality partners MATCH, to be “a fugitive” after they attempted to re-arrest him as part of an investigation into ticket touting.

A senior executive with the official World Cup corporate hospitality provider who is suspected of involvement with a ticket-resale ring has been released.

Abusive price hikes of hotel rates and plane tickets during next year’s World Cup will be monitored by a committee created by the Brazilian government.