Favourable ruling for Khelaifi as beIN, PSG raise awareness to battle COVID-19
SWITZERLAND’S federal court has rejected a prosecution case against Nasser al Khelaifi, President Paris Saint-Germain, and Chairman, beIN Media Group.
Last month, Khelaifi was cleared in a probe that also involves Jerome Valcke, former secretary-general of Fifa with regards to media rights for major tournaments.
The Qatari official has continued to deny any wrongdoing, and the Swiss federal court has rejected the secondary case, concluding that there was a lack of evidence of mismanagement by Valcke, so any alleged encouragement was irrelevant, that the business affairs between Valcke and Khelaifi were private and personal, and not to do with Fifa, and that the federation did not suffer financial damage.
Charges against Khelaifi relating to BeIN’s acquisition of media rights in the Middle East and North Africa to the 2026 and 2030 World Cups were dropped in February.
At the time, Khelaifi, who is now a member of the UEFA executive committee, maintained he was totally innocent, and expected what he described as the “secondary technical charge” to “be proven completely groundless and without any substance whatsoever, in the same way as the primary case.”
Meanwhile, Khelaifi has committed to support the WHO and its initiatives – by using world renowned global brands such as beIN MEDIA GROUP, Miramax and Paris Saint Germain to educate public and raise awareness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Al Khelaifi has been constantly in touch with the WHO’s Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom and the latter praised beIN, Miramax and Paris Saint Germain’s help and support in raising awareness.
The giants from Paris, PSG have also recently raised over €200,000 (S$315,700) for local healthcare professionals battling the coronavirus outbreak with the release of a limited edition jersey.
The club confirmed on Twitter that they had sold out a batch of 1,500 shirts via their online store on Thursday (March 26) night, with all the proceeds going to Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris.