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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| World Cup tickets: Ray Whelan 'flees arrest' | World Cup tickets: Ray Whelan 'flees arrest' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ray Whelan, head of Fifa partner Match Hospitality, has fled to escape arrest in Rio over alleged illegal World Cup ticket sales, Brazilian police say. | |
| Police chief Fabio Barucke said Mr Whelan was officially considered a fugitive from justice. | Police chief Fabio Barucke said Mr Whelan was officially considered a fugitive from justice. |
| Earlier on Thursday, a judge accepted an indictment for Mr Whelan - who is British - and 11 others. | Earlier on Thursday, a judge accepted an indictment for Mr Whelan - who is British - and 11 others. |
| An international gang is said to have earned some $90m (£52m) per tournament and may have acted at four World Cups. | An international gang is said to have earned some $90m (£52m) per tournament and may have acted at four World Cups. |
| The gang is believed to have been making money by acquiring and illegally selling on VIP tickets and hospitality passes. | The gang is believed to have been making money by acquiring and illegally selling on VIP tickets and hospitality passes. |
| Mr Whelan, 64, was first detained on Monday at the exclusive Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio de Janeiro and released after questioning. | |
| The other 11 suspects were arrested last week. | |
| In a statement after his arrest, Match Hospitality denied any wrongdoing by Mr Whelan, and said he would co-operate with any investigation. | |
| However, police in Rio said they went to Mr Whelan's room in the Copacabana Palace but he was no longer there and they were told he had left an hour earlier. | However, police in Rio said they went to Mr Whelan's room in the Copacabana Palace but he was no longer there and they were told he had left an hour earlier. |
| Mr Barucke said outside the hotel: "We have security camera images of him exiting the hotel through a service door." | Mr Barucke said outside the hotel: "We have security camera images of him exiting the hotel through a service door." |
| After his initial arrest, Mr Whelan was reported to have surrendered his passport and returned his Fifa credentials for the World Cup. | |
| Switzerland-based Match Hospitality - part of UK sports event manager Byrom based in Cheadle, near Manchester - said on Tuesday that it was assisting the police investigation. | |
| Fifa, football's world governing body, also said it continued "to fully collaborate with the local authorities and will provide any details requested". | |
| Match is the main provider of hospitality packages for the football World Cup. |