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HAVANA Toni Kroos Germany Jersey , March 31 (Xinhua) -- Cuban athletes, coaches and other sports figures began earning higher wages as of Monday as an incentive to improve performance, state daily Granma said.

"The policy outlined by the government to improve sports, generate revenue and (boost) competition takes effect Monday," the daily said.

The salary increases, announced in September 2013 Toni Kroos World Cup Jersey , are retroactive to January, and in the case of baseball, to November, when the current National Series began.

While still low by international standards, the salaries mark a significant rise in income for athletes.

Like most Cubans, athletes earned an average of 20 U.S. dollars a month Toni Kroos Jersey , but will now make 40 to 200 dollars, depending on their level and sport.

According to the National Sports Institute (INDER), the policy identifies six earning brackets, starting with high-performance athletes, which includes Olympic medalists, world champions Thomas Muller Germany Jersey , Pan American and regional games winners, members of national squads and their backups, and baseball players in the national championship. The classifications will be reviewed each year depending on the achievements of the athletes.

The policy also provides monthly bonuses to active or retired athletes and coaches who take first place, ranging from 1,250 Cuban pesos (56 dollars) for a Pan American gold medal to 800 pesos (36 dollars) for a Central American and Caribbean Games gold medal.

Individual and collective international awards will be distributed with 80 percent going to the athletes, 15 percent to the coaches Thomas Muller World Cup Jersey , and 5 percent to the specialists.

Athletes will have to pay 10 percent of their income in taxes, and the state will take 4 percent of any international or national awards.

In recent years, the performance of Cuban athletes has been on the decline, while those who did well left to play abroad for foreign clubs that can pay considerably more.

Sports authorities decided in 2013 to allow Cuban baseball players to play in the Mexican Major League, and also let the national boxing team compete in the World Series of Boxing, a semi-professional event organized by the International Amateur Boxing Association.

Pro sports in Cuba was banned in 1961 by then Cuban leader Fidel Castro Thomas Muller Jersey , with the state funding athletes and promoting sports.