On Thursday, members of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly refused an amendment to the finance bill for 2025 which provided for the tax exemption of bonuses for medalists from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. A huge surprise as much as a disillusionment for Corentin Le Fur, deputy (LR) for the 3rd constituency of Côtes-d’Armor. The Breton elected official explained to RMC Sport why he intended to continue to fight in favor of French athletes, true emblems of France during the summer, and so that sport is not abandoned now that Paris 2024 is over.
Corentin Le Fur, you tabled an amendment this week to obtain that Olympic and Paralympic medalists be exempt from taxes on bonuses obtained on the sidelines of Paris 2024. A proposal rejected at first reading. How do you feel after this refusal?
It is extremely disappointing and it is extremely petty, I find, that this tax exemption is refused. I see, unfortunately, that the French Olympic and Paralympic athletes who thrilled us and who created this absolutely incredible moment of fervor during the summer were quickly forgotten. Quickly forgotten when for them these bonuses, ultimately, are the reward for four years of work, sacrifices and training. Sometimes even the sacrifices and training of a lifetime. And so these bonuses are once every four years, so the fact of refusing this tax exemption, I find it very petty. Whereas in the past for the summer or winter Olympic and Paralympic events, the tradition was that these bonuses were tax exempt. It was in some ways the recognition of the Nation towards our athletes who carried our colors high. I hope, between now and the session (next week), that we will reverse this decision and that we will be able to obtain this tax exemption for medal bonuses for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
You are talking about pettiness, do you think that it is also a lack of respect for the athletes who carried the colors of France high? A total oversight in some way…
Of course, this is a total lack of respect! I see that we very quickly forgot them. We acclaimed them, they made France shine, they gave a formidable image of France, a formidable image of these Olympic events. And I notice, unfortunately, that as soon as we have to do a small gesture for them, we very quickly forget them. While these are sums which, on the scale of the State budget, are very low. Truly, this is no match for their sacrifice, their work and their commitment. And for them, once again I repeat, these are not small amounts. So it’s really not up to par and I hope that we will be able to come back and vote on this tax exemption during the meeting.
“The financial argument is unhearable”
Conversely, do you understand the arguments of the opponents of this amendment? They estimate that Olympic and Paralympic athletes already have advantages, with the possibility of smoothing their income or the fact that we are talking about two to four million in taxes on the 18 million paid to athletes. Especially at a time when the State as a whole is being asked to make savings…
This argument is unhearable. Because two million on the scale of the state budget is derisory. It’s nothing at all. Our deficits are widening and there is 1,000 billion more debt, so two million is nothing at all. It’s a small gesture for the state budget while we have to make a lot of other savings, I think, in the administrative sphere and among state operators. Two million is a straw for the State! It is a straw for the State but it is not a straw for these Olympic and Paralympic athletes who, often, have great difficulty making a living from their sport with these disciplines which are only brought to light once all. the four years. So for these Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who have almost even more merit, this is not understandable. The financial argument is unhearable. And what’s more, it’s incomparable because it’s a bonus that rewards, which happens every four years or even once in a lifetime for athletes who will only participate in one Olympics or who will only ride on one only Olympic podium. The financial argument is not valid in this case. And once again, for the vast majority of medalists, they struggle to make a living from their sport and often have a parallel activity. So these bonuses represent a significant part of their income. So if we don’t exempt them from tax, we also undermine their purchasing power and disrespect them.
In this refusal to help them and give them an economic boost, is this not yet another proof of France’s disengagement in sport? Now that the Games are over we almost have the impression that we are losing a little interest in sport in France, this is also a bit with the budget of the Ministry of Sports which risks being cut by around 250 million in finance law.
Yes, it’s true, it’s part of a global dynamic. We had a magnificent collective success with these Olympic Games and these Paralympic Games. I hope we won’t abandon the sport now that it’s over. On the contrary, we must reap the benefits of these Olympics. Show how great sport is. It is a wonderful means of communion, fervor and national unity. National unity is sorely needed. This is an opportunity to get together. It is also health sport, it is well-being sport. The virtues of sport are multiple. So I hope we can preserve these budgets. But again, this is an immediate gesture for these Olympic and Paralympic athletes. And which represents a paltry sum on a budgetary scale. So I hope that we will not have the pettiness to refuse them this tax exemption.
“I also call on the government”
If this amendment does not pass with your fellow deputies, do you plan to go further and question the Minister of Sports, Gil Avérous or the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier in the National Assembly on this issue? Have you already discussed this issue with them?
Yes of course with this message, I am also calling on the government. And I hope that, whatever the outcome of this budget, we will ultimately succeed in obtaining this tax exemption. There was a defeat Thursday in committee but the fight is far from over. And I hope that at the end of the budget vote, we will obtain for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, for our medalists, this tax exemption that they deserve.
For example, could you ask the government to attempt a 49.3 on this particular issue? Is this possible?
49.3, I hope we avoid it. But if there is a 49.3, in fact, I hope that it will be in the government text. And of course, I will ask the government for it.
Comments collected Jean-Guy Lebreton
