Tennis Officials Trying to Change Tax Laws for Visiting Tennis Players

Written by: Staff on 25th November 2011

Tennis Officials Trying to Change Tax Laws for Visiting Tennis Players |

British tennis officials are huddling with the tax man in hope of getting the country’s Draconian laws modified to save top tennis in the homeland of Wimbledon. Officials expect to perhaps hear some news one way or another in the spring when the budget is released in March.

At issue is the uniquely British dodge of taxing international individual sportsmen – teams and the London Olympics are exempt – on a percentage of their worldwide endorsement earnings based on a pro rata of the time the spend in Britain.

With Wimbledon requiring a three-week commitment from the top names, that means that huge earners like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic could get hit with a tax bill worth more than a winner’s price cheque which totals a couple of million dollars.

The inequality has already driven Nadal from Queen’s club in the summer, with the Spaniard now signed on for three weeks at the Hale event in German for his grass court preparation.

Now the end of season World Tour Finals could be in danger of moving when it’s contract expires in 2013 due to the tax bite. “We’re taking this very seriously,” said Lawn Tennis Association chief executive Roger Draper told local media. “One of our priorities is to retain this event and tackle the player-tax issue.

“The most senior people in government are taking this seriously because they can see the economic impact – there is sympathy there, we’re hopeful

“We’re busy having high-level discussions with the chancellor, prime minister and treasury minister at the moment. The government has got a lot of issues on its plate but we had the prime minister at the National Tennis Centre for three hours the other week and I’ve had a letter from the chancellor this week explaining the things he is going to do.”

Other than tennis, gold and athletics have been hit hard by the ruling while football gets a free ride as a team sport.

“DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”

Topics: Atp, djokovic, England, nadal, Tax Laws