Tax fraud claim denied by Rafter

TENNIS ace Pat Rafter denied rumours he was one of the 170 Australian sports stars facing criminal charges for tax fraud.
The former world No.1 declared he had always paid his fair share of tax in his Australian homeland.

Rafter faced a public backlash at the height of his career when he moved to Bermuda from Queensland, ostensibly to set up a travelling base.

Critics accused the two-time Wimbledon finalist of tax avoidance, a claim that still rankles.

"I was actually thinking about it the other day because sometimes it makes me a little bit mad," Rafter said in April 2006.
"But that's OK. I think when you travel like that you need a base over there and you may as well set up a base with tax benefits also.

"But in saying that I reckon I paid all the tax I had to."

Rafter said tax cheats should be prosecuted.

"I reckon I've paid all the tax I've had to (when I was playing) -- more than most people in Australia and I wasn't even living here. If you don't pay your share you deserve to get caught."

His comments follow revelations in March 2006 170 professional athletes faced criminal charges for failing to pay tax.
Most of the athletes had not lodged tax returns for three years, while others had not paid tax for five years.

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