FIFA have been using 'Football Leaks' documents as a 'hugely useful investigative tool' for years, Sportsmail can reveal, despite being aware they may have been obtained by hacking.
Mark Goddard, who was in charge of FIFA's Transfer Matching System (TMS) database up to 2017, and was involved in many investigations into clubs, says cleaning up the game justifies using evidence wherever it can be found.
He says UEFA should do the same in investigating Manchester City over Financial Fair Play matters.
Rui Pinto is accused of hacking to compile the Leaks, and is appealing extradition to his native Portugal from Hungary on the grounds of being a whistle-blower.
Goddard reveals that FIFA did their own checks on the Leaks papers when they began appearing in 2015, and found them authentic and credible.
He said: 'We knew he [Pinto] was getting primary source material, and having verified the quality and veracity of those documents, we were thinking "Jesus! This helps us".
'Any particular information that would help us in pursuing a particular line of inquiry, we would use that to build a picture, and build a case. '[We were saying to clubs:] "It's not like we don't trust you, we're just requiring you to prove what you've said".'
He said FIFA would not start disciplinary proceedings based on a Leaks document alone, 'but we would read the documents and think "Wow" and then go and ask a question.
'We could ask "Did you guys do blah blah and blah blah?", and they'd sit there, going "Holy s***! How did you know to ask that?" We said it didn't matter how we knew how to ask that. Just answer the question...
'You can appreciate how that can put people on the spot pretty quickly and lead us to work whether there is a case there.'
Goddard, now an independent consultant, pushed for changes at FIFA that aimed to force all clubs to make public all aspects of all transfers. City were among those resistant, he says.
He describes them as 'obfuscatory' and as an illustration adds: 'I recently bumped into the TMS compliance lawyer who has been working on the City minors topics [an investigation into alleged rule breaches around hiring foreign youngsters] for FOUR years.'
Asked to clarify whether City had been unhelpful in that process, Goddard says: 'Oh God yeah! The usual. Obfuscate. Delay. Some clubs make it as hard for you as possible.'
Anuragarsenal
0
justice achieved by unjust methods is not justice. all biase reserved.
Oh look who is talking about unjust methods.
Laksdor
0
Rui Pinto is accused of hacking to compile the Leaks, and is appealing extradition to his native Portugal from Hungary on the grounds of being a whistle-blower.
Tesciklrsy
1
Why other clubs have been banned by FIFA and what about Man city still not been banned upto date?
How can just rush into deciding if you dont have a clear evidance. The accused have their support information. How can you beat them if you rely on all football leaks. Those leaks written by other clubs haters to instil investigations. Dont just gun down someone b4 u identify your real target.
Vipacdknot
1
by hook or by crook. justice should prevail. all culprits should be punished including football teams. that's it.
gatsman
0
justice achieved by unjust methods is not justice. all biase reserved.
Biailmos
1
Why other clubs have been banned by FIFA and what about Man city still not been banned upto date?
Abdul_Qodri
3
Continue!