This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
On October 24, 2019, Spanish tax authorities fined Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos one million euros (approximately Sh115 million) for irregularities related to his image rights between 2012 and 2014.
According to Ramos, he was unfairly penalized by a change in the law, which led to the fine. He has paid the fine but plans to appeal the decision.
Ramos joins a growing list of high-profile footballers targeted by the Spanish tax agency in recent years. While some, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, have faced criminal proceedings, Ramos' case is administrative.
"It is an administrative fine, not a criminal offence," Ramos said in a statement. "Given the information published recently, I would like to emphasize that I declare all my income in Spain. I have a team of professional advisors who analyze, manage, and resolve all my tax matters."
"I am aware of all my obligations to the Tax Agency. The Tax Agency notified me of a different settlement during the period 2012-2014 after changing the criteria that the administration itself had indicated to me in previous years, payments that I have now fully reimbursed." - Sergio Ramos
Ramos has emphasized that he has a team of professional advisors who handle his tax matters and that he has always declared his income in Spain.
