Athletes become professionals (even if they always have been)

Like a decisive goal in the 90th minute, here comes the final decision of the Budget Commission in the Senate: approved the amendment that ensures tax relief for clubs and federations if they officially recognize the professionalism of sports teams as a contract. In this way, equality status between athletes of both sexes will be guaranteed and discrimination will be just a sad memory.

From January 2020 until 2022 there is an incentive for companies that guarantee employment contracts to athletes, which consists in exempting the payment of 100 percent of social security and welfare contributions within the maximum limit of 8 thousand euros on an annual basis.

Susy Matrisciano, senator of the 5-star Movement who signed the amendment together with her colleague Pd Tommaso Nannicini, assures us that this is only a first (very important) step in what will be the path towards ever greater equality. And the colleague, as well as the first signatory, says he is very satisfied with the result obtained also thanks to the Italian Association of Footballers and Female Athletes who have mobilized to have the same protections as their male colleagues recognized.

See also The USA women's national team: champions on and off the pitch

That female footballers have nothing to envy to their male companions was shown to us last summer by the players of the USA team. The champions took home the World Cup, without turning their backs on uncomfortable civil and political battles, such as the one alongside the LGBT community and in favor of equal pay in the world of football. It will be for their commitment on and off the pitch that Time has named the USA Women's National Team Athlete of the Year 2019 and Sports Illustrated magazine has named the captain, Megan Rapinoe, Sportsman of the Year.