Twenty months in prison for SPG president allegedly tried to bribe FIFA secretary

The Swiss prosecutor has demanded 28 months in prison for Nasser Al-Khelaif, president of the PSG and BeIN Sports, for claiming the corruption of Jerome Valcke, former FIFA Secretary General, in an effort to get more easily the concession of World Cup TV rights and the Cup of Confederates.

Three years in prison is the request for Valcke himself. These are the first two prison sentences sought on European soil following investigations into the numerous scandals that have plagued world football in recent years Valcke is accused of seeking Nasser al-Khelaï's help in the summer of 2003 to buy a luxury villa in Sardinje, just as BeIN was negotiating extending his rights to North Africa and the Middle East for the 2026 and 2030 World Cup.

L'Equipe reports that Al-Khelaif had bought the house for 5m euros, through a company sold almost immediately to the brother of one of his closest associates, before Valcke came to the service.

The two accused, in turn, referred to a <x0private” agreement, unbounded to the contract linked to FIFA in April 2014, in terms submitted by defence such as “very favourable”.