Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the chairman of PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments (Image: Getty)
Qatari officials are reportedly threatening to pull their investment from a number of French enterprises including Paris Saint-Germain.
The Ligue 1 high-flyers have been rocked by the news that Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been indicted on charges of ‘complicity in vote-buying’, ‘infringement on voting freedom’, and ‘complicity in abuse of power’.
The charges, which were levelled on February 5, relate to a Lagardere Group shareholder vote in which the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) were involved.
Arnaud Lagardere is accused of calling QIA director Al-Khelaifi days before the investment authority ‘changed their position’ and aligned their vote with the French businessman.
According to , the charges have prompted ‘a strong reaction’ and ‘irritation’ among Al-Khelaifi’s entourage. Senior figures in Doha have reportedly threatened to withdraw their funding from France, which would include major organisations like PSG and TV channel beIN Sports.
Meanwhile, a Qatari source told : “This file has absolutely and emphatically nothing to do with Nasser Al-Khelaifi, but as usual he will get dragged through a completely spurious process as a famous name, who is apparently responsible for anything and everything, until everything quietly disappears without any grounds whatsoever.”
Al-Khelaifi has been involved in other legal challenges in recent years. He was indicted on charges of corruption relating to Qatar bidding for the World Athletics Championships in 2017 and 2019, but those charges were annulled in February 2023.
The 51-year-old has also been embroiled in a Parisian investigation into allegations of kidnapping and sequestration by lobbyist Tayeb Benabderrahmane. Al-Khelaifi denies the accusations and has filed a complaint, according to reports.
Given that QSI is owned by the Qatari state itself, PSG are one of the richest clubs on the planet. Their moves for Neymar in 2017 and Kylian Mbappe the following year are still the most expensive football transfers in history.
The Parisians are running away with another Ligue 1 title this season, which would be their 11th in the last 13 years. Luis Enrique’s side sit 10 points clear at the top of the table and they are still unbeaten after 21 matches.
PSG have been given a comparatively tough time in the Champions League, but after a 3-0 win over Brest in the first leg of their knockout play-off, they are well on course to make the last 16.
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