Switzerland court acquits Qatar head of Paris Saint-Germain

President of PSG Nasser Al Khelaifi during a press conference about the new contract of Kylian Mbappe with Paris Saint-Germain at the auditorium of Parc des Princes stadium on May 23, 2022 in Paris, France. [John Berry/Getty Images]

A Swiss federal court on Friday acquitted Qatari President of Paris Saint-Germain football club Nasser Al-Khelaifi of corruption charges, news agencies reported.

Al-Khelaifi, who is also chairperson of Qatar-owned broadcaster beIN Media Group, has been charged with inciting FIFA’s former Secretary-General Jerome Valcke to commit “aggravated criminal mismanagement” related to the attribution of World Cup TV rights.

Valcke was also acquitted of the same charges, but received an 11-month suspended sentence for bribery and forgery of documents in a separate case. Valcke is facing charges related to TV rights.

“Today’s verdict is a total vindication,” Marc Bonnant, the Swiss lawyer of Al-Khelaifi, asserted. “After a relentless six-year campaign by the Prosecution – which ignored both the basic facts and the law at every turn – our client has, once again for a second time, been fully and completely cleared.”

Bonnant added: “The years of baseless allegations, fictitious charges and constant smears have been proven to be completely and wholly unsubstantiated – twice.”

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