The leader of the PL in the Chamber, deputy Sóstenes Cavalcante (RJ) defended this Tuesday (16) the maintenance of the 5% rate charged to Football Limited Companies (SAF). The percentage was defined after pressure from the opposition, which pushed to overturn the proposal to raise the rate to 8.5%.
“We avoided a major problem, a major loss to Brazilian clubs and a major incentive for Brazilian sport. We created a mechanism to maintain a low tax burden so that we can be competitive,” Sóstenes told CNN Brazil.
This avoids risks to the financial health of clubs that have chosen the SAFs model.
“If we had increased, we would have greatly compromised sustainability and the work that Brazilian clubs have been doing, developing, showing modernity and competing on equal terms with the big clubs in the world”, he highlighted.
For the rapporteur of the project that regulated the Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) in 2021, deputy Fred Costa (PRD-MG), the reduction in the rate “was a goal from the Chamber in favor of football”.
“If we didn’t do this, it would be like kicking a penalty away. It would be a tremendous disservice to Brazilian football,” he said.
The argument is that the model brought more transparency, compliance and fiscal responsibility to national football, as opposed to the associative format, marked, according to him, by high rates of tax default and administrative disorganization.
“When SAF was conceived, we used the same model as Simples, with the aim of encouraging investors. To achieve this, it was essential to maintain the same 5% rule. You don’t change the rules of the game with the ball rolling”, he added.
Agreement was reached amid pressure from clubs
On the afternoon of this Tuesday (16), leaders of the Chamber of Deputies reached an agreement to accept the emphasis presented by the PL (Liberal Party) to resume the proposal inserted by the Senate to charge 5% for SAFs.
The suggestion was filed after rapporteur Mauro Benevides Filho (PDT-CE) withdrew the forecast, maintaining the already sanctioned wording of Complementary Law No. 214, which now required the collection of 8.5% taxes. The measure was the target of criticism from Brazilian clubs on social media. Atlético-MG, Cruzeiro, Coritiba, Vasco and Fortaleza were some of the institutions that spoke out against the increase in the rate from 5% to 8.5%.
After the agreement reached during the leaders’ meeting, the proposal was taken to the Chamber plenary on Tuesday night, which decided to maintain the rate at 5%.
