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 Dietary 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 dietary regimes for athletes and coaches;

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hereby issue guidelines for implementing special dietary 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 competitions 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 youth championships of each sport; provincial and municipal championships).

2. Scope of Application:

a- National teams;

b- National youth teams;

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

d- Talent development teams at various levels;

e- District, county, city, and provincial town teams.

Time of Application: The actual number of days spent in 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.

The State encourages national sports federations, associations, athlete and coach management units, and related organizations to exploit legitimate sources of income to supplement the special dietary regime for athletes and coaches.

II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 2. The dietary regime is calculated in monetary terms for one day of concentrated training and competition for each athlete and coach. Specific levels are set forth as follows:

1. Dietary regime for athletes and coaches during concentrated training periods:

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

Unit of measurement: (VND/person/day)

b- For athletes and coaches with the potential to win medals preparing for Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), Asian Games (Asiad), and Olympic Games, they will receive a daily food 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 tasked with training athletes and coaches and foreign entities, within the framework of the annual state budget estimate for physical education and sports. During the time abroad, athletes and coaches will not receive the allowance specified in point a of this clause.

2. Dietary regime for athletes and coaches during concentrated competition periods:

Unit of measurement: (VND/person/day)

During concentrated competition periods at regional, continental, and world sports events and other international competitions, athletes and coaches will receive a dietary allowance as stipulated in the competition rules (they will not receive the daily food 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 dietary regime appropriately.

3. Based on budget capacity and actual conditions at ministries, sectors, and localities, heads of ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Councils will decide specifically on the dietary regime for athletes and coaches under their management.

4. The dietary regime for disabled athletes when called upon for training and competition shall 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 estimate for sports development expenses and the specific nature of each sport, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will decide on the provision of energy supplements and functional foods for athletes in national teams and national youth teams; the Ministers of relevant ministries and Chairpersons of provincial and municipal People's Committees will decide on the provision of energy supplements and functional foods for athletes in provincial and ministry teams, youth 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 associations, during concentrated competition periods, athletes and coaches will receive a dietary allowance as stipulated in the competition rules. Funding for the dietary regime will be provided by the unit sending athletes and coaches to the competition and from sponsorships.

Article 5.Annually, based on the targets 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-administered cities shall prepare budgets for nutrition allowances for athletes and coaches, and incorporate them into their own budget estimates, to be submitted to the financial authorities at the same level for review and consolidation before submission 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 relevant Chapters, Classes, and Clauses.

Article 7. Sources of funding:

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

2- The local budget shall ensure funding for the nutrition allowance system for coaches and athletes under the management of local governments (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 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 issues, units are requested to report to the joint ministries for study and appropriate amendments and supplements./.