The National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI) has rejected allegations of extortion by the directors of the Mexican Football Federation concerning the Fan ID case and the associated fines. Previous rumors suggested that the technical secretary of the Mexican Football Federation had approached the Internal Control Body (OIC) of INAI to report alleged blackmail.
The Mexican Football Federation began implementing the Fan ID during the 2023 Clausura tournament following violent incidents at the Corregidora Stadium in Querétaro in March of that year. The Fan ID is a unique code required for entry to the stadiums, which can be obtained for free by registering on the fanliga.mx website. Among the requested data are the phone number, images of official identification, and a photo of the face.
After the implementation of the Fan ID, INAI issued recommendations to protect fans' personal data. Subsequently, it imposed two fines on the Mexican Football Federation: one for 15 million 379 thousand 804 pesos for collecting data without consent, and another for 7 million 600 thousand pesos for handling the information.
In response to the allegations of extortion, Norma Julieta Del Río Venegas, commissioner of INAI, clarified that the technical secretary of the Federation appeared before the Internal Control Body, although she did not have details on a formal complaint, as the head of the agency is Alma Patricia Sam. Del Río Venegas mentioned that the Mexican Football Federation had filed an amparo against the fines, a process still ongoing.
INAI issued a statement firmly rejecting the allegations of extortion, urging a thorough investigation of the facts and assuring its commitment to transparency and legality in the case. The institution remained steadfast in its position that established procedures will be followed and facts will be fully clarified.
