Prosecutors appeal FIFA case verdicts against football chiefs

Swiss prosecutors are appealing the mild verdicts against former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke and football executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Office of the Attorney General in Bern confirmed on Wednesday.

The two men had been tried by the Federal Criminal Court over alleged corruption surrounding World Cup broadcast rights contracts.

Valcke, who was fired from the global football body in 2016, was acquitted of criminal mismanagement in October.

However, the French citizen was found guilty of falsifying documents and was sentenced to a suspended fine.

He was also ordered to pay global football body FIFA around 1.75 million Swiss francs (1.97 million dollars).

Al-Khelaifi, who is president of the Qatari-owned club Paris St-Germain (PSG), was acquitted of inciting Valcke to commit mismanagement.

A third defendant, a Greek businessman, was also acquitted.

“The Office of the Attorney General demands in its appeal that the verdicts are changed so that the defendants are found guilty of the crimes that are listed in the indictment,” the office said in a statement.

The prosecutors had called for prison terms, including three years for Valcke.

However, the prosecutors had said the terms should be partially suspended on probation.