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A-SINK och elitidrotten – En rättslig och praktisk analys av beskattning av utländska idrottare
University of Gävle, Faculty of Education and Business Studies, Department of Business and Economic Studies.
University of Gävle, Faculty of Education and Business Studies, Department of Business and Economic Studies.
2025 (Swedish)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [sv]

 Vår undersökning visar att A-SINK- reglerna spelar en viktig roll för svenska elitklubbar när de värvar utländska idrottare. Genom att använda denna beskattningsform kan klubbar erbjuda spelare en högre nettolön till en lägre kostnad jämfört med vanlig inkomstskatt. Det gör A-SINK till ett användbart verktyg, framför allt vid tillfälliga utbetalningar som sign-on-bonusar.Samtidigt har vi sett att reglerna ofta är svåra att tillämpa i praktiken. De rättsfall vi har studerat och de intervjuer vi har genomfört visar att det krävs mycket kunskap för att förstå när A-SINK får användas. Det handlar till exempel om hur länge en spelare är i Sverige, var personen bor och om det finns starka band till landet. Det är inte alltid enkelt att avgöra, och många klubbar upplever att det saknas tydlig vägledning.Vi har också märkt att klubbar ofta måste ta ett stort ansvar för spelarnas kontakt med Skatteverket, särskilt om spelaren inte har ett svenskt personnummer eller bank-ID. Det gör att reglerna, som egentligen ska vara enkla, i praktiken blir krångliga och ibland rätt osäkra för mindre klubbar utan egen jurist eller ekonom kan det här vara stort hinder. Sammantaget visar vår studie att A-SINK är ett användbart system, men att det behöver bli tydligare och mer tillgängligt. Det borde finnas bättre stöd från myndigheterna och enklare information till klubbarna, så att reglerna kan användas på rätt sätt oavsett resurser. På så sätt skulle beskattningen av utländska idrottare bli mer rättvis och förutsägbar.

Abstract [en]

 This thesis investigates how the taxation of foreign professional athletes is handled in Sweden through the Act on Special Income Tax for Non-Resident Artists, among others, commonly referred to as A-SINK. The legislation has been in place since the early 1990s and stipulates that certain income from athletic activities is taxed at a flat rate of 15 percent. The purpose of the law is to simplify taxation for individuals who are temporarily active in Sweden, such as professional athletes. Our aim was to understand both the theoretical framework of the law and how it is applied in practice by Swedish elite sports clubs. To achieve a comprehensive perspective, we used a legal dogmatic method, analyzing statutory texts, legislative history, case law, and legal doctrine. Additionally, we employed a qualitative method through interviews with two elite sports associations within Swedish professional sports. Our interviews show that A-SINK is often used for temporary payments, such as sign-on or sign-off bonuses, as it allows clubs to offer players a higher net salary without increasing the club’s overall costs. At the same time, the clubs describe the rules as complex and requiring both legal and administrative expertise to apply correctly. It is also common for clubs to take on significant responsibility for the players’ tax management, particularly if the players lack a Swedish personal identity number or BankID. This may deter smaller clubs with limited resources from utilizing A-SINK, even when it could be financially advantageous. We conclude that A-SINK is a financially useful tool, but it is not always as straightforward as intended. There is a gap between the law’s design and its practical implementation. To reduce the risk of errors and uncertainty, we propose that clearer information and better support should be developed, preferably in the form of national guidelines directed at sports associations. This could help ensure that the taxation of foreign athletes becomes fairer, predictable, and equitable across clubs, regardless of their resources.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025. , p. 26
National Category
Law
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-47825OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hig-47825DiVA, id: diva2:1979671
Subject / course
Legal Science
Educational program
Legal Science Programme towards Tax Law and Real Estate Law
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2025-07-01 Created: 2025-06-30 Last updated: 2025-10-02Bibliographically approved

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CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
  • apa
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  • sv-SE
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Output format
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