Joint Circular No. 149/2011/TTLT-BTC-BVHTTDL guiding the implementation of special dietary regimes for high-performance athletes and coaches.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing Special Nutritional Regimes for Elite Athletes and Coaches

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Pursuant to Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 6, 2003 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the State Budget Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 178/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 3, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of Ministries and ministerial-level agencies;

Pursuant to the Decree No. 118/2008/NĐ-CP dated November 27, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Finance;

Pursuant to Decree No. 185/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;

Pursuant to Decision No. 67/2008/QĐ-TTg dated May 26, 2008 of the Prime Minister on special nutritional regimes for athletes and coaches;

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hereby issue guidelines for implementing special nutritional regimes for elite athletes and coaches as follows:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of application:

1. Objectives:

a- Athletes and coaches training and coaching at sports training centers, sports schools, and professional sports clubs;

b- Athletes and coaches participating in high-performance sports events as specified in Article 37 of the Law on Physical Education and Sports (regional, continental, and world championships organized in Vietnam; national games; national championships; annual national youth championships; provincial and municipal championships).

2. Scope of Application:

a- National teams;

b- National junior teams;

c- Provincial and sectoral teams (referred to as provincial and sectoral teams);

d- Talent development teams at various levels;

e- District and county teams.

3. Duration of application: the actual number of days present for concentrated training and competition as decided by the competent authority.

4. The funding for the implementation of the regime prescribed in this Circular shall be allocated within the annual budget estimates of ministries, sectors, and localities according to current state regulations on the decentralization of state budget management.

5. The State encourages National Sports Federations, National Sport Associations, units managing athletes and coaches, and related organizations to utilize legitimate sources of income to supplement the nutritional regime for athletes and coaches.

II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 2. The nutritional regime is calculated in monetary terms for each day of concentrated training and competition for an athlete or coach. The specific levels are as follows:

1. Nutritional regime during concentrated training periods:

a- Training within the country: the actual number of days present for concentrated training as decided by the competent authority:

Unit of measurement: (VND/person/day)

b- For high-performance athletes and coaches with medal-winning potential preparing for Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), Asian Games (Asiad), and Olympic Games, they will receive a daily allowance of 300,000 VND/person/day for up to 90 days. During this period, athletes and coaches will not receive the allowance specified in point a of this clause.

c- Training abroad: the actual number of days based on the decision approved by the competent authority based on invitation letters or training contracts signed between domestic institutions responsible for training athletes and coaches and foreign entities, within the framework of the annual state budget estimate for physical education and sports. During the overseas training period, athletes and coaches will not receive the allowance specified in point a of this clause.

2. Nutritional regime during concentrated competition periods:

Unit of measurement: (VND/person/day)

During regional, continental, and world competitions and other international sports events, athletes and coaches will receive a nutritional allowance as stipulated in the tournament regulations (they will not receive the daily allowance specified in Clause 2 of this Article).

Based on actual circumstances, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will specify the use of funds under the above nutritional regime in accordance with the situation.

3. Based on budget capacity and actual conditions at ministries, sectors, and localities, heads of ministries, sectors, provincial People's Councils, and centrally-administered city councils will decide on the specific nutritional regime for athletes and coaches under their management.

4. The nutritional regime for disabled athletes when called upon for training and competition by the competent authority will apply the provisions of points 1, 2, and 3 of Article 2 of this Circular.

Article 3. Regarding the provision of energy supplements and functional foods for athletes: Based on the budget capacity balanced within the annual budget estimate for sports activities and the specific nature of each sport, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will decide on the energy supplements and functional foods for athletes in national teams and national junior teams; the Ministers of relevant ministries and chairpersons of provincial and centrally-administered city people's committees will decide on the energy supplements and functional foods for athletes in provincial and sectoral teams, junior teams, and talent development teams at various levels managed directly by ministries, sectors, and localities.

Article 4. In cases where competitions are not organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, central ministries, and localities but by National Sports Federations and National Sport Associations, during the concentrated competition period, athletes and coaches will receive a nutritional allowance as stipulated in the tournament regulations. The funding for the nutritional regime will be provided by the unit sending athletes and coaches to the competition and from sponsorships.

Article 5. Annually, based on the indicators and plans for sports training and competition approved by the competent authority, the Ministries and central agencies, the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the provinces and centrally governed cities shall prepare budgets for nutrition allowances for athletes and coaches, incorporate them into their own budget estimates, and submit them to the financial authorities at the same level for review and consolidation to be submitted to the competent authority as prescribed.

Article 6. The expenditure on nutrition allowances for athletes and coaches shall be recorded under the item "Other payments to individuals" within the corresponding Chapters, Types, and Clauses.

Article 7. Sources of funding:

1- The central budget ensures funding for the nutrition allowance system for coaches and athletes under the management of the central government (national teams, national youth teams, sectoral teams, sectoral youth teams).

2- Local budgets ensure funding for the nutrition allowance system for coaches and athletes under local management (provincial teams, provincial youth teams, district teams, and talent development teams).

III. IMPLEMENTATION

Article 8. This Circular takes effect from December 25, 2011, and replaces Circular Joint No. 127/2008/TTLT/BTC-BVHTTDL dated December 24, 2008, issued jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism regarding the nutrition allowance system for athletes and coaches.

Article 9. During implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, units are requested to report to the joint ministries for study and appropriate amendments and supplements./.