Spanish League angered by tax hike plans

Spain’s professional soccer league (LFP) is threatening to strike over a tax hike for top earners, arguing the increase will in future discourage leading players like Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from coming to La Liga.

The LFP have been angered by plans to see any non-Spanish persons earning over €600,000-a-year have their rate of tax go up from 24 per cent to 43 per cent starting in 2010.

While the move will not affect players already plying their trade in la Primera, there are concerns that it would dissuade the world’s best players from moving to Spain.

Also being amended is the so-called ‘Beckham Law’ that was approved seven years ago to help attract highly skilled foreign workers to Spain.

The spat in Spain is similar to one raging in France, where a row has broken out among government ministers about scrapping a tax break for top athletes

While the LFP are angry about the idea, Barcelona president Joan Laporta also thinks that it would harm the game.

“This measure damages Spanish soccer,” he was quoted as saying on the Blaugrana’s official website.

“It would mean that talented players will think twice before coming to our league.”

Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told the media that the measures were designed to put everyone on a level playing field as the country tries to pull itself out of its difficult economic situation.