Shadows over Qatar's sporting project as PSG plays CL final

An Élysée Palace lunch a decade ago deepened sports business bonds between Qatar and France ahead of takeover of Paris Saint-Germain. w $1 billion-plus invested in club could finally lead to European football's biggest prize being collected on Sunday.

grand and costly ambitions of a sporting project entangled in political objectives will reach new heights when PSG plays Bayern Munich in its first Champions League final.

“Tomorrow is an opportunity for us to join elite circle by winning Champions League,” PSG forward Kylian Mbappé said on Saturday.

Mbappé is one of symbols of lavish PSG transformation — from an underperforming club to one of most glamorous in world football — since Qatari buyout in 2011. France forward ultimately cost €145 million to add to squad two years ago, a fee only eclipsed by world record €222 million spent on Neymar a year earlier.

“We kw what a big club we are," Mbappé said, "and we kw how much club has grown over years.”

Sunday's rival — five-time European Cup winner Bayern — also enjoys financing from Doha through Qatar Airways sponsorship, an association with Gulf nation that has sparked criticism from human rights groups.

"A game for s that we call #Qlassico,” Qatar Airways tweeted ahead of game in Lisbon.

But it is PSG — controlled by Qatari state after 2011 takeover through a sports investment vehicle — that has become a diplomatic mechanism to exert furr soft power through football by 2022 World Cup host nation.

That tournament will be std in Middle East for first time after being secured in December 2010. contentious FIFA vote took place weeks after n-French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a PSG fan, hosted Élysée Palace meeting with future Emir of Qatar as well as France footballing great Michel Platini, who was president of European governing body UEFA.

As a FIFA vice president, Platini had a say in destination of World Cup.

“Sarkozy never asked me to vote for Qatar," Platini told Associated Press in 2010, "but I knew what would be good.”

Within seven months, a struggling PSG, which hadn't won French title since 1994, had been bought by a company linked to Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who became emir.

Nasser al-Khelaifi, as chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, became president of club. He was also running Qatar-owned sports network that became beIN following year. It bought broadcasting rights for Ligue 1 that PSG has won in seven out of last eight seasons and launched French channels.

When it came to replacing Dubai-based airline Emirates as PSG sponsor, Accor Hotels bought rights to appear on jerseys in a 2019 deal. Accor’s third biggest shareholder with 11.3% is Qatar Investment Authority.

PSG declined to make a club official available for interview to discuss club’s rise ahead of game.

Any joy at winning Champions League final could be short-lived for Al-Khelaifi, a former tennis professional and close friend of ruling emir who also sits on UEFA's ruling executive committee.

Al-Khelaifi will go on trial in Switzerland on Sept. 14 over how a senior FIFA official gained use a luxury villa on Italian island of Sardinia without paying rent valued at up to 1.8 million euros ($1.94 million) in 2014 and 2015.

At time, Jerome Valcke was FIFA secretary general with influence over FIFA broadcast deals, including an extension of beIN’s Middle East rights for 2026 and 2030 World Cups.

Al-Khelaifi, who denies any wrongdoing, was charged in February with inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanment.

Middle East rights to 2018 and 2022 World Cups were bought by beIN soon after winning FIFA hosting vote.

court case, which is listed to last eight days in September, will also see Valcke and ar broadcasting executive stand trial.

But it is t end of Al-Khelaifi's legal difficulties, who has hit out at a "relentless nda to smear my reputation in media.”

He has also been implicated in a corruption investigation by French prosecutors that is linked to Qatar seeking hosting rights for track and field world championships, and has denied any wrongdoing. Doha hosted 2019 edition.

French authorities are also investigating how gas-rich nation won rights to host 2022 World Cup, with a trail that leads to that vember 2010 garing at official residence of French president. Platini was questioned after being arrested in June 2019 by police — as were two former Sarkozy aides — over awarding of FIFA tournaments.

charges have been filed against Platini, but investigation remains open by French financial crimes prosecutors scrutinizing process by which Qatar was handed hosting rights.

That won't diminish any joy for PSG fans or players if y win Champions League as first French champions of European Cup since Marseille in 1993.

Just winning semifinal against Leipzig sparked wild celebrations in Paris — where fans flooded onto Champs-Élysées — and in Lisbon where players danced into ir hotel on Tuesday as if y already had trophy.

re won't be widespread support for PSG across France, as re was when Marseille beat AC Milan in 1993 final, according to French football expert and author Philippe Auclair.

“Because of Qatar, this club has become unbeatable, almost invincible,” said Auclair, whose 2015 book “Fifagate” examined investigations into Qatar. “People see m (PSG) as a completely artificial project and led to a completely unbalanced league.”

Im credits: AP