- Title: SOCCER-FIFA/SWISS Swiss upper house votes to water down "Lex FIFA" rules
- Date: 3rd June 2015
- Summary: BERN, SWITZERLAND (JUNE 3, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GOVERNMENT BUNDESPLATZ CYCLISTS RIDING PAST SWISS FEDERAL PALACE CHILDREN PLAYING IN WATER FOUNTAINS SWISS FLAG VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF SWISS FEDERAL PALACE VARIOUS OF SWISS NEWSPAPERS WITH HEADLINES ON FIFA SCANDAL VARIOUS OF INTERIORS OF FEDERAL PALACE DOOR CLOSING SWISS LAWMAKER FROM THE RIGHT-WING SWISS PEOPLE'S PARTY
- Embargoed: 18th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Switzerland
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAB8F8U7SA38W9R65Q3Y65BYY2I
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Switzerland's upper house voted on Wednesday (June 3) to send the country's other parliamentary chamber a slightly watered down version of a law aimed at stamping out corruption at private groups like Zurich-based FIFA.
The Swiss debate on tougher rules to tighten oversight of sporting organisations comes after soccer's governing body was rocked by U.S. corruption charges and a criminal investigation into the awarding of the next two World Cups in Russia and Qatar.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter, a 79-year-old Swiss, resigned on Tuesday. He is being investigated by U.S. prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a person who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters. An FBI spokesman declined comment.
In a two-hour debate on the draft law, known as "Lex FIFA", the Swiss Council of States voted to make corruption at private entities a crime, but narrowly said that it can only be prosecuted on request if no public interest is violated.
The revised draft law now goes to the National Council, the country's lower chamber, which will review it in September. The new law is not expected to go into force until 2016 or 2017.
"Well we have seen the problems we have had in the last years and it was about time that we close this loophole. It was absolutely necessary because the pressure became too big, the pressure on our country became too big," Roland Buechel, a right-wing Swiss People's Party politician who has led the campaign to increase oversight of Switzerland's 60 sports bodies since 2010, told Reuters in the domed parliament after the vote.
Christian Levrat, president of Switzerland's left-wing Social Democratic Party and a member of a parliamentary commission looking into corruption, put a brave face on prospects for adopting a strong law. In the debate, the upper house voted by 23 to 22 that private corruption can only be prosecuted on request if it is not of public interest.
"We have an insufficient law on corruption, the legal status of FIFA is absolutely unsatisfactory as a simple association, like a fishing club. Our protection of whistleblowers is also inadequate. We tried to improve things in terms of fighting corruption, and missed by one vote. But the fight will continue and I think we will win it," he said.
"Beyond the FIFA case, it is important for all the big organizations, in sports as well as multinationals based in Switzerland to clarify their legal framework, to say clearly that corruption is not a paltry crime, whether by public or a private individual, Switzerland has to be able to fight efficiently against these corruption cases," Levrat added.
Soccer's governing body was thrown into disarray when several of its leading officials, including vice-president Jeffrey Webb, were arrested in a dawn raid at the luxury lakeside hotel which for years has pampered FIFA visitors.
They were detained pending extradition to the United States where they face federal corruption charges.
"I think they have been tarnishing the image of Switzerland, but there is still a chance to change this, if Mr. Blatter takes the action he promised. He has to kick out some more people," Buechel said.
Organisations like FIFA and the roughly 60 Swiss-based sporting bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, UEFA and International Cycling Union are largely unregulated by any Swiss agency.
As non-profit associations, they also pay a far lower tax bill than private-sector corporations. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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