Nasser Al-Khelaifi lawyer rejects ‘baseless’ conflict of interest allegations

Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s lawyer says an investigation into the Paris Saint-Germain president over suspected conflicts of interest does not establish that he has committed any offence.

Paris prosecutors said on Sunday that Al-Khelaifi was under investigation over the allegations. Renaud Semerdjian told Agence France-Presse that the claims against his client had no legal or factual basis.

“The allegations against Al-Khelaifi are baseless, both legally and factually,” Semerdjian said.

“He has acted independently, impartially and objectively.”

The preliminary investigation concerns Al-Khelaifi’s simultaneous roles as president of Paris Saint-Germain and chairman of beIN Media Group, according to Agence France-Presse.

It relates to a meeting about broadcasting rights held between Al-Khelaifi and representatives of the Ligue de Football Professionnel in July 2024, the public prosecutor’s office said. The investigation was first reported by French newspaper L’Equipe.

Al-Khelaifi has been president of Paris Saint-Germain since Qatar Sports Investments acquired the club in 2011.

He has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer again told Agence France-Presse that Al-Khelaifi had always acted independently, impartially and objectively.

The latest investigation was opened in April last year after a complaint was filed by anti-corruption organisation Anticor. The case was assigned to police specialising in corruption and financial crime.

Al-Khelaifi was also charged in February 2025 with complicity in the misuse of authority in connection with a shareholders’ vote in a company, according to the report.

Earlier allegations against him concerned suspected corruption linked to Qatar’s bids to host the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships.

Those allegations were finally dismissed in mid-February 2023 by France’s Court of Cassation. The court ruled that the French justice system did not have the right to prosecute Al-Khelaifi in that case.