The National Institute for Transparency and Access to Information (INAI) is in the midst of a new controversy after the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) filed a complaint against it for alleged extortion. According to reports from ESPN Deportes, Iñigo Riestra, technical secretary of the FMF, visited the INAI offices on January 27 to present the case to the Internal Control Organism.
In the submitted documents, Jonathan Mendoza, secretary of Personal Data, and Miguel Novoa, general director of Sanctions, are accused of making a proposal to the FMF to reduce a multi-million penalty in exchange for tickets to the inauguration of the 2026 World Cup at the Estadio Azteca. Additionally, they allegedly conditioned the reduction of the penalty on hiring a law firm related to them.
The penalty imposed on the FMF by the INAI amounts to 23 million 69 thousand 707 pesos and two cents, since December 14, 2022. This penalty is related to the FAN ID, a system to control attendees at matches by collecting their personal and biometric data. The INAI considered that the process was not carried out adequately, and therefore imposed two fines: one for 15 million for collecting data without the users' consent and another for the improper use of this information.
