PSG boss Khelaifi says has ‘nothing to hide’ in World Cup probe

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Paris Saint-Germain president and beIN Media chief Nasser al-Khelaifi insisted Wednesday that he had "nothing to hide" after a marathon grilling by Swiss prosecutors investigating claims of World Cup corruption.

Khelaifi, a Qatari with close ties to the Gulf state’s royal family, is under investigation for allegedly bribing disgraced former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke in exchange for World Cup media rights.

Khelaifi and his legal team arrived at the Swiss attorney general’s headquarters in the capital Bern at about 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT), avoiding the main entrance and two dozen reporters gathered outside.

He emerged nearly eight hours later to proclaim his innocence.

"I have nothing to hide," the 43-year-old told reporters.

"I asked to come to Switzerland to explain myself. I am at the disposal of the attorney general if he wants to see me again…

"I came relaxed and I am leaving relaxed."

Khelaifi and Valcke, Sepp Blatter’s former right-hand man, have been under investigation since March.

Swiss prosecutors allege that they engaged in corruption, bribery, criminal mismanagement and forgery of a document in connection with the awarding of broadcast rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.

File photo of FIFA trophy/ AFP photo

The attorney general’s office (OAG) went public with the case on October 12, announcing that authorities in France, Greece, Italy and Spain had cooperated with the probe, including by raiding properties.

Swiss prosecution spokesman Andre Marty said there was "huge complexity in the case" with "masses of information" to be sorted.

Following the day-long interrogation, prosecutors have no immediate plans to question Khelaifi again but further interrogation remained possible, Marty explained.

"Mr. Al-Khelaifi was cooperative. He was answering to the questions," Marty said. "It’s always nice to avoid a situation of total confrontation.

"Now it’s up to the Attorney General of Switzerland to see if his behavior violated the law."

Once the probe is complete, the OAG must decide whether to drop the case or take it to court, a process that can take multiple years.

The OAG also confirmed that FIFA lawyers were present at the hearing, as the integrity of contracts agreed by Valcke on behalf of world football’s governing body is a central question in the case.

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Source(s): AFP