Switzerland’s supreme court has upheld the acquittal of Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaïfi in a case related to alleged wrongdoing linked to former FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke and the awarding of World Cup television rights. This marks al-Khelaïfi’s third acquittal in five years on charges related to allowing Valcke to use a villa in Italy for free from 2013-15.
The case centered on a villa in Sardinia, purchased by a Qatari company in 2013, and its potential connection to beIN Media Group, led by al-Khelaïfi, securing a renewed World Cup rights deal from FIFA worth $480 million. However, three Swiss federal courts have now ruled that there was no wrongdoing in the deal. Al-Khelaïfi’s lawyers described the ruling as “a complete vindication” and criticized the prosecution as “trophy-hunting” by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland.
In a separate but related case, Valcke’s conviction for bribery and forgery in relation to World Cup media rights in Italy and Greece was upheld. He was also convicted of active corruption and sentenced to a suspended prison term of 11 months. Greek marketing executive Dinos Deris had his conviction for active corruption upheld, with a suspended sentence of 10 months.
The investigation into these matters began in 2017, with the federal criminal court first hearing the case in 2020 and retrials at the federal appeals court held in 2022. The supreme court combined the appeals brought by the federal prosecution office, Valcke, and Deris, and has asked a lower court to re-examine financial penalties in the case.
The ruling is significant as it brings closure to a lengthy and complex legal process involving high-profile figures in international football. The case highlights the ongoing efforts to address corruption and wrongdoing in the sport, particularly in relation to the allocation of broadcasting rights. With the supreme court’s decision, attention will now turn to the implementation of any remaining penalties and the potential implications for those involved.