The Swiss prosecution started
investigating Qatari businessman Nasser al-Khelaifi, the president of the
French sports club, Paris Saint-Germain, and the chairman of beIN Sports
network.
Al-Khelaifi's trial started on September 14 in connection
with the broadcast rights of the World Cups 2026 and 2030, in yet a new series
of corruption cases in which the Qatari businessman is involved.
Standing trial
The Swiss prosecution said earlier that al-Khelaifi would
stand trial on charges of corruption.
It added that al-Khelaifi is also accused
of inciting Jérôme Valcke, the former secretary-general of FIFA, into
corruption and mismanagement.
Evidence
The British newspaper, The Guardian, revealed recently the
presence of an exchange of emails between incumbent Qatari Prime Minister
Khalid bin Khalifa al-Thani and Papa Massata Diack, the son of Lamine Diack,
the former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations.
In one of the emails, Diack's son thanks the prime minister
of Qatar for showing him hospitality during his to Doha.
He also sent him his bank account details to that the
Qatari prime minister can send him $4.5 million.
Diack asked the Qatari prime minister to transfer him the
money as soon as possible so that he can settle some issues with his father,
then the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations.
A company owned by al-Khelaifi transferred $3.5 million to
Diack's bank account eight days later.
The opposition site, Qatarileaks, describes al-Khelaifi as
the architect of Qatar's dubious deals. It said al-Khelaifi allowed the second
most senior official in the international football federation, FIFA, to stay at
a villa he owns in Italy for free.
