Minister Şimşek's Tax Warning to Athletes

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The Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, stated, "Athletes who do not declare their earnings correctly will be invited to explain, and unpaid taxes will be demanded with penalties."

The Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, made warnings to athletes who declare their earnings correctly on his social media account. Şimşek noted that athletes who do not declare their earnings correctly will be invited to explain, and he stated that unpaid taxes will be demanded with penalties. Minister Şimşek expressed: "Athletes who do not declare their earnings correctly will be invited to explain, and unpaid taxes will be demanded with penalties. Our understanding of justice and efficiency in taxation continues with comprehensive audits targeting those who earn high incomes and leave their income undeclared."

HIGH INCOME BUT NO TAX

The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has closely monitored athletes who earn high incomes but leave their income undeclared, examining the salaries of 1900 individuals in different sports branches and identifying approximately 5 billion lira of undeclared income over the last 3 years.

According to information obtained from the Ministry, the Revenue Administration continues its audits related to various sectors and professions as part of its efforts to combat the informal economy. The administration has initiated a study regarding the high salaries of athletes that have been left undeclared. The Revenue Administration checks whether athletes have declared the high salaries they receive, identifying that some of the salaries paid to professional athletes playing in football, basketball, and volleyball in 2021, 2022, and 2023 have been left undeclared by the clubs.

INCOME OF 1900 ATHLETES EXAMINED ONE BY ONE

According to the Income Tax Law, clubs are required to withhold taxes from the salaries they pay to athletes. If the salary income earned by athletes exceeds the 4th bracket of the income tax tariff, those in this profession are required to submit a declaration and pay the progressively calculated tax. In the ongoing study, 1900 athletes, including famous names, were analyzed. The data from the Revenue Administration, club declarations, contract information, news in national and international media, and transfer information submitted to the Public Disclosure Platform by clubs were cross-checked.

5 BILLION LIRA OF UNDECLARED INCOME

The study revealed significant tax losses in the salary incomes obtained between 2021 and 2023. It was determined that 400 athletes, including star names with million-dollar contracts, left approximately 5 billion lira of salary income undeclared in the last 3 years, and 100 athletes did not report their salary income despite submitting a declaration.