swiss prosecutors grill psgs khelaifi in world cup probe
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

By bribing a top FIFA executive.

Swiss prosecutors grill PSG's Khelaifi in World Cup probe

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleSwiss prosecutors grill PSG's Khelaifi in World Cup probe

Khelaifi and Valcke have been under investigation
Paris - Muslimchronicle

Swiss prosecutors on Wednesday began grilling Paris Saint-Germain president and beIN Media chief Nasser al-Khelaifi over allegations that he obtained World Cup media rights by bribing a top FIFA executive. 

Khelaifi, a Qatari with close ties to the Gulf state’s royal family, is under investigation for allegedly striking illegal deals with disgraced former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who had been Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man.     

“We began the interrogation of the accused person at about 9:45 am (0745) this morning here at the Office of the Attorney general of Switzerland (OAG)”, prosecution spokesman Andre Marty said.  

“It will take hours due to translation issues but also due to the many questions we have and we are looking forward to the answers of the accused person”, he added. 
Khelaifi, 43, and his legal team avoided the main entrance when entering the OAG headquarters in the Swiss capital and were not seen by the roughly two dozen reporters gathered outside. 

Khelaifi and Valcke have been under investigation since March in connection with media rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups on allegations including corruption, bribery, criminal mismanagement and forgery of a document. 

Authorities in France, Greece, Italy and Spain have cooperated with the Swiss probe, including by raiding properties. 

But the OAG only went public with the case on October 12,  

Khelaifi’s high-profile French lawyer, Francis Szpiner, then swiftly announced that his sports tycoon client “denies any corruption” and “wanted to be heard as soon as possible” by Swiss prosecutors.

But despite Khelaifi’s eagerness to be questioned, his case may still move slowly as Switzerland has a track record of taking its time with major corruption probes. 

Bern opened an investigation targeting ex-FIFA boss Blatter in September 2015, but there are no indications that the case is ready for court. 

– Luxury villa –

The beIN Media group, which is headquartered in Doha, has insisted that its World Cup rights deals were “advantageous for FIFA”, rejecting any suggestion that it got favourable treatment. 

The contract covers broadcasting rights for the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) region for the tournaments.

The Qatar broadcaster’s offices in Paris have been raised at the request of Swiss authorities.

A raid was also carried out at a luxury Sardinian villa that, it is alleged, was put at the disposal of Valcke, who is serving a 10-year ban from all football-related activity.

The villa, set in lush grounds on the Mediterranean island and which has an estimated value of seven million euros ($8.3 million), is owned by an international real estate agency.

– ‘Nothing from Nasser’ –

Valcke, a 53-year-old French national, has told the French sports newspaper L’Equipe that he “received nothing from Nasser.”

An increasingly prominent figure in sports and media, Khelaifi oversaw PSG’s 222 million-euro ($264 million) world record signing of Brazilian superstar Neymar in August.

PSG, who were bought by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, are not implicated in the Swiss investigation.

The corruption accusations are the latest to rock world football which is still reeling from the events of 2015, when FIFA officials were arrested en masse at the governing body’s annual conference. 

They are also the latest allegations to target Qatar. The Gulf state has found itself routinely accused of corruption since controversially winning the right to host the 2022 World Cup, charges it has always denied

Source:AFP

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

swiss prosecutors grill psgs khelaifi in world cup probe swiss prosecutors grill psgs khelaifi in world cup probe

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 12:04 2017 Wednesday ,27 September

Thomas Cook sees tourists return to Turkey and Egypt

GMT 20:15 2017 Friday ,17 March

Attack On Aid Convoy in South Sudan Kills Two

GMT 17:32 2017 Friday ,15 September

At least 33 dead in Nigeria boat capsize

GMT 17:23 2013 Friday ,24 May

Woolwich: Terrorism or political murder?

GMT 17:52 2017 Tuesday ,18 April

Meningitis kills 10 more people in NW Nigeria

GMT 18:08 2017 Tuesday ,17 October

Norway solar firm signs 2.5 bn-euro deal with Iran

GMT 07:43 2018 Monday ,22 January

Macron boosts Merkel ahead of key coalition vote

GMT 05:32 2016 Monday ,18 April

Australian dollar falls amid oil talk breakdown

GMT 04:45 2016 Thursday ,15 December

UAE Ambassador and Chilean Energy Minister discuss

GMT 15:34 2011 Saturday ,19 November

Williams to resume sibling rivalry in exhibition

GMT 13:03 2017 Tuesday ,14 March

Snoop Dogg shoots at Trump in new video

GMT 09:37 2016 Monday ,19 September

Southeast Asian haze crisis killed over 100,000

GMT 08:27 2015 Monday ,19 October

Patriots down Colts in 'Deflategate' rematch

GMT 16:36 2017 Tuesday ,12 September

Quarter of houses in Florida Keys destroyed

GMT 21:22 2016 Thursday ,23 June

Poll: Israelis even on Clinton vs. Trump
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle