Criminal proceeding opened against PSG president
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, beIN Media Group's chief executive officer and Paris Saint-Germain's president, is under the microscope.
On Thursday, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland announced that a criminal proceeding was opened against Jerome Valcke - the former general secretary of FIFA - Al-Khelaifi, and a businessman in the sports rights sector, in connection with the awarding of World Cup media rights.
The criminal proceeding was opened on March 20, on suspicion of bribery of private individuals, fraud, criminal mismanagement, and forgery of a document. It's suspected that Valcke accepted "undue advantages" from a businessman in the sports right sector in connection with the awarding of media rights for certain countries at the World Cups of 2018, 2022, 2026, and 2030, and from Al-Khelaifi in connection with the awarding of media rights for certain countries at the World Cups of 2026 and 2030.
In March 2016, the OAG announced that a proceeding was opened against Valcke, in particular on suspicion of various acts of criminal mismanagement. Following allegations of potential misconduct related to the sale of tickets for World Cups, he was provisionally released from his duties as FIFA's general secretary in September 2015, dismissed in January 2016, and subsequently banned 10 years from all football-related activities.
Valcke filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and a hearing took place on Wednesday.