Monday, June 11, 2012 -
The Uzbek government said last week would extend current tax breaks for soccer teams as part of a strategy to encourage further proliferation of the sport.
The Cabinet agreed to extend special tax exemptions on the country’s football teams for a further three years, local news website anons.uz cited a government statement as saying.
Under the regime, all soccer clubs as well as the Uzbek Football Federation are not required to pay any taxes with the exception of the social payment contributions toward medical insurance and pensions.
The tax discount first introduced in 2009 was close to expire, the New Kerala news agency reported.
But the government apparently saw its tax regime as linked to the recent successes of the country’s national team which peaked by reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Cup 2011, before being defeated by Australia.
Uzbekistan’s top club Bunyodkor frequently competes in the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League and has held the domestic league title for four seasons.
Uzbekistan has hired as head coach such soccer pros as Zico of Brazil and Luiz Felipe Scolari, who has coached Chelsea and the Brazilian national team. Neither is currently employed by the national team.