The chairman of Qatar’s beIN Media Group Nasser Al Khelaifi has been cleared by a Swiss court in connection with the alleged corrupt allocation of television rights to the network for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.
Mr Al Khelaifi, who is also president of French champions Paris Saint-Germain, stood trial over a deal to allow former Fifa number two Jerome Valcke exclusive use of his €7 million ($8.18m) villa on the Italian island of Sardinia rent-free. Mr Al Khelaifi’s network was subsequently awarded rights in 2014 to the two tournaments without it going out to tender.
Valcke, the former right-hand man of disgraced former Fifa boss Sepp Blatter, was convicted on Friday over forged documents related to Italian and Greek television rights.
He was given a suspended 120-day prison sentence, which means he will not serve time unless he commits a further offence. Despite being cleared of the most serious charges, he was ordered to repay Fifa €1.75m.
A broader investigation into alleged bribery connected to the two men over broadcasting rights for the World Cup in 2026 and 2030 and other Fifa events in the Middle East was abandoned earlier this year.
Fifa reached an “amicable settlement” last month with the Qatari in January following a three-year internal inquiry.
The settlement meant that Swiss prosecutors could no longer pursue the case. Fifa has declined to comment on the terms of the deal.
The verdict was the first judgment handed down in Switzerland after some 20 proceedings have opened in the last five years involving the scandal-ridden governing body of world football that is based in Zurich.
After a 10-day trial, Mr Al Khelaifi was cleared of a charge of incitement to criminal mismanagement after prosecutors alleged he put Valcke under pressure not to tell his employers about the villa deal.
“After a relentless four-year campaign against me that ignored the basic facts and law at every turn, I have finally, fully and completely cleared my name,” said Mr Al Khelaifi. “Today’s verdict is a total vindication.”
The case revolved around whether Mr Khelaifi allowed Valcke free use of the villa, given that beIN was the sole bidder for the Middle East media rights to the two World Cups.
The prosecution claimed that Valcke committed to do what he could to ensure beIN would win the contract and should have declared the villa deal to his employers.
The two men, however, claimed that the deal was a private arrangement unrelated to the broadcasting rights deal.
More on Quran memorisation:
More on Quran memorisation:
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10
*November 15 to November 24
*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com
*TV: Ten Sports
*Streaming: Jio Live
*2017 winners: Kerala Kings
*2018 winners: Northern Warriors
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
