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The Turkish Finance Ministry’s Tax Inspection Board (VDK) has identified approximately ₺5.3 billion (over $135 million) in undeclared earnings from professional athletes across various disciplines, according to official sources.
Following the end of the income tax filing period in March 2024, the VDK launched a risk analysis project targeting professional sports figures in Türkiye.
The initiative examined 4,588 athletes, including footballers, basketball players, and volleyball players, to trace hidden income streams.
Based on extensive cross-referencing of open-source data and income statements, the board discovered that a significant number of athletes had failed to declare substantial amounts of income.
The largest share—₺3.7 billion ($94 million)—was traced to professional footballers, followed by basketball players who left ₺1.15 billion ($29 million) off the books. The remaining sum came from athletes in other sports.
A total of 310 athletes have been formally invited to clarify their income declarations through an official process known as “izaha davet,” or invitation to explain.
This mechanism offers taxpayers an opportunity to correct their filings without immediate penalties.
One high-profile example involved a foreign footballer from the Süper Lig who, upon receiving the notice and before departing Türkiye at the end of his contract, filed his tax return and paid ₺70 million ($1.78 million) in owed taxes.
Given that many athletes—particularly foreign players—may leave Türkiye at the end of the sports season, the ministry has informed sports clubs to ensure their players address outstanding tax obligations before departure.
Clubs have been tasked with facilitating communication between athletes and tax authorities.
Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek emphasized the importance of voluntary compliance in the government's fight against unregistered economic activity.
“In our efforts to ensure those with high earnings pay their fair share, we have now turned our focus to athletes,” Simsek said.
“We expect the identified individuals to come forward, explain their positions, and amend their declarations within the voluntary compliance framework. Those who fail to meet their obligations will face penalties and enforced collection.”
By pursuing undeclared revenues, the ministry aims to promote fairness in the tax system and ensure that all sectors—especially high-income earners—contribute their legal share to the national budget.
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