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.
