Run, swim, shoot, pay taxes
Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court ruled on Wednesday that althletes who compete in this summer’s World Championships in Helsinki must pay a 15% tax on their prize earnings…
The court ruling is of consequence mainly to Estonian athletes, but in principle it applies to all participating countries. With the USA Finland has an agreement which exempts minor prizes from tax.
Money is coming in every race of the championships to the winner and up to the seventh runner-up. The grand total of prize money comes to some 5.5 million euros. the International Association of Athletics Federation in Monaco picks up the check.
The tax will be collected afterwards by Finnish tax authorities, something expected to be laborious.
In addition to this tax, the Olympic committee annouced their new “trial” sport specifically designed for this summer’s games in Helsinki…
The Finnish Modern Pentathlon combines five rigorous sports into one event: Running, Shooting, Mobile Phone Throwing, Wife-Carrying, and finally the dangerous and controversal sport of Tax Audit. (Three athletes were fatally wounded in the 2004 Tax Audit competition alone)
If after the five contests there is a tie, those athletes will participate in a Karting race followed by the Shotput, where participants alternate turns taking shots, putting them into their mouths until just one is left standing.
