Rossi jumps up in earnings ranking
Added on Friday, July 3rd, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Rossi jumps up in earnings ranking
Valentino Rossi moved up to fifth place in the world’s highest earning non-American sports stars according to the latest survey by Sports Illustrated magazine.
The MotoGP world champion’s earnings in 2008, including salary, prize money, sponsorship and endorsements, totalled a cool $35m (£21.4m), moving up from 7th place last year and putting him level in the earnings league with Renault F1 driver Fernando Alonso.
Unsurprisingly, David Beckham topped the list of high earning non-Americans, pocketing $45.2 million (£27.6m) last year with Ferrari F1 driver and former world champion Kimi Raikkonen ($40.1m), Philippine boxer Manny Pacquio ($40m) and Barcelona football star Lionel Messi ($39.9m) also ahead of the 100 time grand prix winner.
Tiger Woods remained the world’s top earning sportsman although the credit crunch did reduce his overall earnings from $127.9m in 2007 to “just” $99.7m (£61m) last year. The figure still eclipses the next highest earner - Tiger’s golfing rival Phil Mickelson who scooped $52.9m.
It’s not the first time that Rossi’s earnings have hit the headlines although previously, for far more negative reasons.
Italian tax authorities had previously challenged Rossi’s claim to British residency and in 2007, Rossi was placed under investigation on suspicion of around €60m of undeclared earnings between 2000 and 2004. Reports suggested that the authorities were seeking some €120m including unpaid tax, interest and penalties. The matter was later settled last year, with Rossi agreeing to pay around €35m to settle the matter.
