By David Gold
March 6 – French Presidential candidate François Hollande (pictured) has hit back at suggestions that his proposed 75 per cent tax on high earners could be the “death of French football”.
That claim was made by Frédéric Thiriez, the President of the French league (LFP), in response to the proposal by the socialist candidate Hollande, who is running against incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy, that anyone earning over €1 million (£850,000/$1.3 million) pays the new tax.
The suggestion has attracted widespread discussion among football officials and players in the country since it was announced.
“My duty is to defend football’s vital interests when they are threatened,” Thiriez told RMC radio.
“If this plan saw the light of day, it would end in catastrophe for French football, it would be impoverished and downgraded on a European level.”
Current Sports Minister and former world and Olympic champion judoka David Douillet told French Parliament that the plan would wreck French sport and cause the exodus of top players.
Michel Seydoux, the President of French champions Lille, has also predicted the departure of many of the country’s top talents in a number of other fields, as well as football.
“When the state loses its talents, it is poorer,” Seydoux told Le Parisien.
“I hate the stigmatisation of social classes…footballers earn their money honestly.
“The more they earn, the more they pay in tax in France.”
Seydoux (pictured) predicted Hollande’s proposal would lead to the departure of big stars, lower attendances and therefore a reduced value of television rights.
Hollande, who is leading Sarkozy in polls, has hit back at his critics, and Le Monde quoted him as saying: “I learned that the manager of Paris St Germain (Carlo Ancelotti) earns €6 million (£5 million/$7.9 million) a year.
“Can Paris St Germain – a good team for whom I have sympathy – have such results for which the coach should be paid so much?
“Do you think the Qataris, who own the club in question, are going to retire [because of this]?
“I have great understanding and regard for sports stars and artists because they serve our country…one way of helping us is to show an example.”
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734793701labto1734793701ofdlr1734793701owedi1734793701sni@d1734793701log.d1734793701ivad1734793701