Paris: Former Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke has denied receiving “undue advantages” from Nasser Al Khelaifi, the chief executive of Qatar’s beIN Media and president of Paris St-Germain, after Swiss prosecutors opened a criminal investigation.

The Office of the Attorney-General of Switzerland said on Thursday it suspected Valcke accepted “undue advantages” from Al Khelaifi in connection with the award of media rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.

“I just want to say that it’s not true. I have never done that. I have never received anything in exchange for anything,” Valcke told French sports daily L’Equipe on Friday.

“I refute the accusations against me or Nasser. I have received nothing from Nasser, I can assure you. There was never any exchange between Nasser and I. Never.” Valcke was Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man when the latter ran Fifa, the Swiss-based world football body.

The media company denied any wrongdoing on Thursday and said it was cooperating with officials.