In what state of mind can Nasser Al-Khelaïfi be, Thursday, September 24, at the end of his trial, in Switzerland, for “instigation of aggravated unfair management”? After two weeks of hearing, the three judges of the Criminal Court of the Federal Criminal Court (TPF) of Bellinzona have closed the proceedings and will deliver their judgment on October 30. The outcome of this legal battle remains uncertain. A conviction would damage the brand image of the Qatari president of Paris-Saint-Germain and BeIn Media.
The Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation (MPC) requested 28 months of partial suspended detention against Mr. Al-Khelaïfi, “Flagship football personality” worldwide, as the prosecutor Joël Pahud pointed out. His lawyers pleaded for acquittal as part of this investigation into the allocation of media rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.
Minister of State in his country and “man-orchestra” of the round ball (he was notably elected to the executive committee of the Union of European Football Associations), essential on the television rights market, this close to Emir Tamim Al-Thani is playing big in the coming weeks. Mr. Al-Khelaïfi, 46, hopes to be acquitted by Swiss justice. It is first of all his reputation that the leader wishes to defend.
“There has never been a corruptive pact”
Under criminal proceedings in Switzerland since 2017, Mr. Al-Khelaïfi is accused by the MPC of having acquired, in December 2013, a villa in Sardinia for 5 million euros, in order to make it available of the FIFA general secretary at the time, Jérôme Valcke, himself eager to buy the said villa.
The MPC reproaches Mr. Valcke, in his capacity as number 2 of FIFA, to have received from Mr. Al-Khelaïfi advantages of a value between 1.4 and 2.3 million euros, in particular ” the exclusive use of Villa Bianca », From March 2014 to September 2015.
For investigators, he did “ in return »The granting to Qatari groups Al-Jazeera and BeIn Media of media rights in the Middle East and North Africa for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. A commercial contract was signed by FIFA to this effect in April 2014, against 480 million dollars.
“Mr. Al-Khelaïfi has never acquired or financed Villa Bianca, assures the World Me Grégoire Mangeat, one of the leader’s lawyers. Supporting documents, this point is disputed by our client. There has never been a corruptive pact. The debates also made it possible to establish clearly that the entire process of attributing media rights to BeIn was flawless. FIFA has never canceled this contract and has not asked for damages. “
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