July 17 – Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, a member of UEFA’s executive committee, has hit back at allegations that he breached FIFA regulations saying that the documents he reportedly signed are forgeries, and that he will be filing a criminal complaint.
According to a media reports based on leaked information, Al-Khelaifi signed a letter to the chief of staff of the future emir of Qatar asking for assistance over the transfer of Argentine midfielder Javier Pastore who was transferred from Italian club Palermo to PSG in 2011 in a deal worth €40 million plus bonuses. It is alleged he was seeking help to pay €2 million to Pastore’s agent during transfer proceedings.
Al-Khelaifi maintains that he did not send such a document and that the documents are forged.
The Qatari sports boss has come under increasing scrutiny following reports he is under investigation in France over Qatari bids to host the world athletics championships and is already facing allegations in Switzerland linked to awarding broadcast rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.
If the allegations surrounding the Pastore transfer were true they would breach article seven of FIFA’s regulations relating to intermediaries and which are also in breach of French football rules, according to the Guardian and French outlet Mediapart.
Al-Khelaifi’s legal representatives have responded to the allegations insisting the document in question was forged. They had not had the opportunity to see a copy of the document until it was published by French outlet Mediapart.
The lawyers write:
“Last month, journalists from The Guardian, Der Spiegel and Mediapart contacted Mr Nasser Al Khelaifi, the President of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, requesting his response in relation to a document which they alleged bore his signature and which they claimed had been written over 8 years ago … relating to the alleged payment of commission to an agent involved in the transfer of Javier Pastore,” a statement said.
“Mr Al Khelaifi believed that he could not have written or signed such a document and his lawyers therefore wrote to the journalists in question on 21 June:
- i) Indicating that we had concerns regarding the authenticity of this supposed document and the information it purportedly contained.
- ii) Asking therefore that the journalists provide us with a copy of the document on which they relied so as to enable Mr Al Khelaifi to provide a considered and informed response to their questions.
“Although that request was in keeping with all generally recognised principles of fairness and responsible journalism, The Guardian, Der Spiegel and Mediapart refused to provide a copy of the document on which they relied, claiming that they could not do so without disclosing the identity of their source.
“It is now clear that this explanation was untrue. Mediapart illustrated its article on the subject on Monday with a full copy of the purported letter in question and, in doing so, did nothing whatsoever to reveal the identity of its source. “
“The document includes nothing that discloses the identity of the person(s) who provided it to the journalists and their refusal to provide a copy to Mr Al Khelaifi prior to publication can therefore only be explained on the basis that they did not wish him to have an opportunity to rebut a story that they had already decided to publish. “
“Now that it is to hand, it is clear that the document relied upon by The Guardian, Der Spiegel and Mediapart is a forgery and was not written or signed by Mr Al Khelaifi.
“He will therefore be filing a criminal complaint for forgery and the use of forged material in France.”
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