Switzerland’s public prosecutor demands a 28-month prison sentence against Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain. L’Équipe report on Wednesday. Part of the sentence also concerns a suspended prison sentence. Jérôme Valcke, former secretary-general of FIFA, has been sentenced to three years in prison. In this case, too, the requirement from Switzerland is partly conditional. Both gentlemen are suspected of corrupt activities.

In February of this year it was announced that an investigation had been started into the trade and walk of Al-Khelaifi and Valcke. The PSG president, who also owns BeIN Media Group, is said to have tampered with the battle for the broadcasting rights of major football tournaments. Valcke in turn is said to have enriched himself in the allocation of television rights with regard to the 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030 World Cups. The Confederations Cup is also mentioned in the study. Part of the television rights eventually ended up with the media group of the wealthy Al-Khelaifi.

PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi charged with corruption

The president of the French top club risks a prison sentence.Read article

An investigation by the Swiss judicial authorities shows that Valcke was more or less rewarded by Al-Khelaifi for his help with the allocation of the coveted television rights. The former right-hand man of the former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter was allowed to use a villa in the name of Al-Khelaifi for a longer period of time in Sardinia. The Swiss justice has calculated that in a normal situation Valcke would have to pay a rent of between 900,000 and 1.8 million euros. The luxurious house was purchased by Al-Khelaifi for five million euros, after which Valcke was given the opportunity to use it.

L’Équipe reports that Al-Khelaifi and Valcke are the first football executives in Europe to potentially serve jail time for corrupt transactions. In the United States and South America, several directors have already been convicted of fraudulent acts. Al-Khelaifi represents the interests of clubs at UEFA on behalf of the European Club Association. There is also a case against some former officials of the German Football Association. In this case, it concerns alleged corruption surrounding the allocation of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.