Time to do the math as athletes get talks on tax

Woman's 1st place finisher Mary Keitany from Kenya and Men's 1st place winner Stanley Biwott from Keyna embrace after winning their divisions in the TCS New York City Marathon in New York November 1, 2015. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY

Kenyan athletes, who compete in American road races, will this week benefit from legal advice of a leading Kenyan-born American lawyer on tax refund issues.

Thomas Kirui of Kirui Law Firm in Arlington, Virginia, will give talks to the athletes on their tax rights. The one-day symposium has been organised by the Kirui Law Firm in Eldoret and will be held on Wednesday at the Winstar Hotel in Eldoret from 8am.

"We want to address pertinent issues regarding tax refunds, which most athletes from East Africa do not know. They need to know that they have tax refunds when they run in American race circuits and that tax refunds always revert to the government if they are not claimed within the allowable time, which is three years," Kirui said in a statement.

Some athletes, who have benefited from his services will attend the symposium to share their experiences. He said Kenyan, Ethiopian and Eritrean athletes are the most affected because of their dominance of road races and marathons in the USA.

Subjects of discussion will include, but not limited to, taxation of sports earnings, how to lodge a tax refund claim, Legal rights of foreign athletes in the USA, Period of claiming Tax Refunds and Eligibility of Taxation in American races among others.

According to Kirui, knowledge of English language is not necessary, but is an added advantage.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrean athletes have dominated most big city races in America include New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Boston, Los Angeles Marathon and Rock 'N' Roll Marathon.

However, Kenyan athletes are yet to claim thousands of dollars tax refunds from these American road races. Kirui, who practices law in Arlington in the county of Virginia, said one prominent Kenyan athlete has $ 25,000 (Sh2.5 million) in unclaimed tax refunds from the Inland Revenue Authority (IRA).

"I have helped many Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes get their tax refunds in the past. This is one area many of them don't know and because athletes are paid directly, agents don't take keen interest in it," Kirui, who is a former middle distance runner, told FeverPitch from his US base.

He added that foreign athletes are entitled to tax refunds from American road races and athletes must provide Social Security Number, date of birth and races they have competed in, in the last three years.