FIFA under investigation by Swiss corruption officials
Fri 26th Nov 2010 | FIFA
Following the last weeks suspension of six officials for corruption Football’s world governing body, FIFA finds itself under investigation from the Swiss federal authorities.
According to the Guardian newspaper, it’s understood that the inquiry could possibly lead to criminal charges over the cash for World Cup votes scandal.
The director of Switzerland's Federal Office for Sport, Matthias Remund, wants to ensure that no Swiss laws have been broken and to determine "to what extent we have applicable law in Switzerland, in order to be able to pursue offences which are relevant from a criminal justice point of view or which offend competition law".
Under Swiss law, not-for-profit bodies cannot be pursued through anti-corruption laws, which apply only to commercial organisations.
Remund told the newspaper: "Private corruption in that [legal] sense does not exist in Switzerland. And in particular sporting associations and clubs without economic/commercial purpose are excluded from that purpose."
Switzerland's sports minister, Uli Maurer said: "It's clear that Switzerland is obliged to do something to fight corruption as we have lots of international federations with headquarters in Switzerland and we want to set an example in solving this problem."
FIFA is a not-for-profit organisation and the federal office is focusing on the outcomes of its commercial activities.
FIFA's accounts showed it made "surplus" revenues in 2009 of $1,059m (£671m)
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