The Council of Ministers has given the green light to a Royal Decree that regulates the recognition, for retirement pension purposes, of the periods worked as a professional athlete before their incorporation into the General Regime of Social Security, so that these years are counted as contributions within this system.
The regulation will allow access to a retirement pension or improve its amount for those who, residing in Spain, developed their sports career continuously in the country under a professional contract and were part of the special employment relationship of professional athletes between March 15, 1980, and the date they integrated into the General Regime of Social Security.
In order for these periods to be recognized, along with the application for the retirement pension or its review, it will be mandatory to provide the certification issued by the corresponding club or sports entity, which certifies the activity carried out.
If the club has disappeared, it will be the sports federation responsible for certifying the condition of professional athlete, as well as the time of activity developed in Spain from March 15, 1980, until the moment of integration into the General Regime of Social Security.
The processing of the application must be carried out, either in person or electronically, before the National Institute of Social Security (INSS). In addition, the Higher Sports Council, an agency dependent on the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, will assume the payment of the capital cost corresponding to the recognized pension.
The Royal Decree, whose scope of application excludes professional footballers as they are subject to specific regulation, will come into force three months after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).