GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s supreme court upheld the acquittal of Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaïfi in the final appeals stage of a case that alleged wrongdoing linked to former FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke and the awarding of World Cup television rights.
In a separate case, Valcke's conviction of bribery and forgery in relation to World Cup media rights in Italy and Greece was also upheld.
For Al-Khelaïfi, it is his third acquittal in five years on charges related to allegedly allowing Valcke to use a villa in Italy for free from 2013-15. The ruling was described by his lawyers as “a complete vindication.”
“From the outset, this has manifestly been a ‘trophy-hunting’ prosecution by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland — but today, that pursuit is over,” lawyer Marc Bonnant said in a statement.
Prosecutors had tried to link the home in Sardinia, bought by a Qatari company in 2013, to Al-Khelaïfi-led broadcaster beIN Media Group getting a renewed World Cup rights deal from FIFA in a $480 million deal.
But three Swiss federal courts — at criminal, appeals and supreme level — have now ruled there was no wrongdoing in that deal. In the Al-Khelaïfi case, Valcke was also acquitted for a third time on charges of criminal mismanagement harming FIFA, for which prosecutors had sought a prison term of 35 months.
“The Swiss Federal Supreme Court once again confirms that Jérôme Valcke did not cause any damage to FIFA and that his behavior had no negative influence on the very profitable price of the disputed contracts,” his legal firm in Geneva, RVMH, said in a statement.
But Valcke — who was removed from his FIFA post in 2015 and later banned from soccer over wide-ranging misconduct — was convicted again on separate charges not involving Al-Khelaïfi. Those related to forgery and kickbacks in negotiations for World Cup broadcast rights in Italy and Greece.
A third defendant, Greek marketing executive Dinos Deris, had his conviction for active corruption upheld.
The supreme court also upheld the suspended sentences for Valcke and Deris of 11 and 10 months, respectively.
The court combined the appeals brought by the federal prosecution office, and by Valcke and Deris, in one set of rulings. They asked a lower court to look again at financial penalties in the case.
The investigation was opened in 2017, first heard at the federal criminal court in 2020, then retrials at the federal appeals court were held in 2022.
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FILE - Jerome Valcke, former FIFA Secretary General, arrives at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to challenge his ten-year suspension imposed by FIFA in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednesday, Oct 11, 2017. (Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP, File)
FILE - PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi smiles before the League One soccer match Paris Saint-Germain against Angers at the Parc des Princes stadium, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — Players who leave the NFL to return to college won't be allowed to come back to the league this season.
NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league's meetings Wednesday, saying players who go back to college will be ineligible to play in 2026. Vincent said any player who does that would instead become a free agent for the 2027 season.
The comments came one day after the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences banned players who were on NFL rosters from being able to play at their schools. Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week.
At least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to return to college and play at No. 11 LSU.
Tight end Dae'Quan Wright originally signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi following the draft. He was waived by the Eagles on Aug. 10 and claimed by Cleveland the following day. He spent about two weeks with the Browns without playing in an exhibition game before being waived on Monday. He cleared waivers Tuesday and now wants to go to LSU to play for his former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
Defensive lineman Zxavian Harris signed with New Orleans in May as an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss and participated in the offseason program. He was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp in July and was waived Aug. 8. He wasn't claimed by any team and also wants to go back to college to play for Kiffin.
Both players entered the NFL draft because they had used up their four years of eligibility. The NCAA announced a rule change in June allowing players who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five years of sports in college.
That rule didn't apply to Wright and Harris, who entered college in 2022 but they are among the players who have sued the NCAA, arguing they’re being deprived of education and potential NIL financial benefits by being excluded from the rule.
Cal football general manager Ron Rivera said Wednesday he hopes the ACC joins the Big Ten and SEC in turning away former pros.
“I think when somebody makes a decision, goes in a certain direction, I think they’ve made their decision,” said Rivera, a former NFL player and coach. “I’m disappointed that people are looking for ways to cheat the system or beat the system.”
In Tennessee, the state's Court of Appeals granted the NCAA’s motion that puts on hold an order that would have given former Vanderbilt player Jalen Washington and 18 other basketball players a fifth year of eligibility.
The ruling gives the NCAA a win in ongoing litigation across the nation in federal and state courts involving college athletes who contend they should get a fifth year of competition under revised NCAA eligibility rules adopted in June.
Washington, who transferred to Tennessee, and the other plaintiffs are now ineligible pending resolution of the NCAA’s appeal of the lower court’s ruling.
Washington was the lead plaintiff in a complaint filed July 6 by the Texas Trial Group seeking the injunction. Others included Chendall Weaver, last at Texas; A.J. Storr of Mississippi; Jason Edwards of Providence; and Daniel Egbuniwe of St. Bonaventure.
The NCAA also has won stays of injunctions in Ohio and New Jersey state courts and in a federal court in Colorado.
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Troy Vincent speaks during a news conference at an NFL football owners meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Cleveland Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
