Switzerland’s Supreme Court has upheld the acquittal of Paris Saint‑Germain president Nasser al‑Khelaïfi in a case linked to former FIFA secretary‑general Jérôme Valcke and the awarding of World Cup television rights. This decision marks al‑Khelaïfi’s third acquittal in five years on charges that he allowed Valcke to use a villa in Italy free of charge from 2013 to 2015.
The dispute centered on a Sardinian villa purchased by a Qatari company in 2013 and its alleged connection to beIN Media Group, led by al‑Khelaïfi, which secured a renewed World Cup rights deal from FIFA worth $480 million. Three Swiss federal courts have now ruled that no wrongdoing occurred in that transaction. Al‑Khelaïfi’s lawyers called the ruling “a complete vindication” and condemned the prosecution as “trophy‑hunting” by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland.
In a separate but related case, the conviction of Jérôme Valcke for bribery and forgery concerning World Cup media rights in Italy and Greece was upheld. He was also found guilty of active corruption and sentenced to an 11‑month suspended prison term. Greek marketing executive Dinos Deris had his conviction for active corruption upheld, receiving a 10‑month suspended sentence.
The investigation began in 2017, with the federal criminal court first hearing the case in 2020 and retrials at the federal appeals court in 2022. The Supreme Court combined the appeals filed by the federal prosecution office, Valcke and Deris, and has ordered a lower court to re‑examine the financial penalties. The ruling brings closure to a lengthy and complex legal process involving high‑profile figures in international football, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat corruption in the sport, particularly regarding the allocation of broadcasting rights. With the Supreme Court’s decision, attention now turns to the implementation of any remaining penalties and the potential implications for those involved.
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