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 The Swiss authorities are currently carrying out a criminal probe
into how FIFA, world soccer's governing body, awarded the 2018 and
2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.
The United States is also investigating alleged financial wrongdoing
by soccer officials stretching back more than two decades.
Anti-corruption campaigners have pushed Swiss authorities for years
to bring sporting bodies -- once a source of national prestige --
under more legal scrutiny.
Both chambers of parliament have now agreed to the latest draft of
the new law, so closely associated with FIFA that it has been dubbed
"Lex FIFA", the FIFA law.
The senate approved it on Thursday. A final vote on the law will be
held on Sept. 25, a spokesman for parliament said. Assuming it
passes and is not challenged in a referendum, it will likely come
into force some time in 2016.
The law would let Swiss authorities investigate suspected private
corruption without first receiving an official complaint from inside
the organization in question.
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As it made its way through parliament, some lawmakers have
complained that the bill had been watered down in parts. The law
would allow for exemptions in cases where the public interest is not
threatened, and complaints would still need to be lodged for
authorities to look into "mild cases" of corruption.
(Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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