Paris Saint-Germain’s president, Nasser al-Khelaifi, has been placed under investigation for alleged corruption as part of an inquiry into the bidding process for the 2017 and 2019 athletics World Championships. A French judicial official said the preliminary charge of “active corruption” was filed against Khelaifi, also the chair of the beIN media group, in mid-May in a case focusing on the payment of $3.5m to an IAAF official.

The official said Khelaifi was suspected of corruption “in regards with Qatar’s track and field worlds”. Khelaifi is from Qatar. Khelaifi’s lawyer was not immediately available for comment and beIN declined to comment except to say the case “doesn’t relate in any way to the company”.

BeIN’s chief executive, Yousef al-Obaidly, faces preliminary charges of corruption, and the former IAAF president Lamine Diack is suspected of “passive corruption” in the same case. According to Obaidly’s lawyer, the investigating magistrate Renaud Van Ruymbeke based his suspicion on documents showing that a former IAAF official received two payments totalling about $3.5m from Qatari investors before the vote for the 2017 World Championships. Qatar eventually lost to London but was later awarded the 2019 event. The championships will be held in Doha from 27 September to 6 October.

The two payments from Oryx Qatar Sports Investments, an investment fund linked to the Qatari government, were made to Pamodzi Sports Marketing in October and November 2011, days before the vote.(TheGuardian)…[+]