The Ministry of Finance will impose penalties on athletes who do not pay taxes.

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The Ministry of Treasury and Finance is closely monitoring athletes who earn high incomes but do not declare their income, examining the salaries of 1,900 individuals in various sports and identifying approximately 5 billion lira in unreported income over the last three years.

HIGH INCOME BUT NO TAX

According to information obtained from the Ministry, the Revenue Administration continues its inspections 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, which checks whether athletes have declared their high earnings, has determined that some of the salaries paid by clubs to professional athletes playing in football, basketball, and volleyball in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 were not declared.

INCOME OF 1,900 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 income earned by athletes exceeds the fourth bracket of the income tax tariff, those in this profession are required to file a tax return and pay the progressively calculated tax. In the ongoing study, 1,900 athletes, including famous names, were analyzed. Data from the Revenue Administration, club declarations, contract information, news in national and international media, and transfer information submitted by clubs to the Public Disclosure Platform were cross-checked.

5 BILLION LIRA IN UNDECLARED INCOME

The study revealed significant tax losses in the income earned from salaries between 2021 and 2023. It was determined that 400 athletes, including star names with million-dollar contracts, left approximately 5 billion lira in salary income undeclared over the last three years, and 100 athletes did not report their salary income despite filing a tax return.

ATHLETES WILL BE INVITED TO EXPLAIN

Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek stated that the Revenue Administration will invite these athletes to explain themselves and will request them to declare their undeclared earnings. Şimşek said, "Tax penalties will be demanded from athletes who do not fulfill their obligations within the scope of the invitation to explain." Emphasizing that inspections aimed at combating the informal economy continue within the framework of the principles of fairness and efficiency in taxation, Şimşek noted: "As the Ministry of Finance, we continue to knock on the doors of those who earn a lot but declare low income. Our inspections targeting those who earn high incomes and conceal their income will continue. We will do whatever it takes to collect taxes from the informal sector."