MotoGP world champion and current standings leader Valentino Rossi has risen to fifth place among the world's top earning non-American sportsmen, according to a ranking compiled by the American magazine Sports Illustrated.
The annual list was drawn up the combined salary, winnings, endorsements and appearance fees of leading sportsmen and this year saw the Yamaha rider rise from seventh to fifth place with total earnings of $35 million.
Rossi shared fifth place with Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso, who rose up from sixth place last year.
At the top of the list of non-American athletes was soccer star David Beckham with $45.2 million, followed respectively by Ferrari's Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen ($40.1 million), boxer Manny Pacquio of the Philippines ($40 million) and Argentinian soccer player Lionel Messi ($39.9 million).
Among the Americans the top earner was golfer Tiger Woods with $99,737,626, while his rival Phil Mickelson came in second with $52.95 million.
Basketball player Lebron James was third but earned less than Beckham, $42.4 million.
Rossi's high earnings got him into hot water in the past with Italian tax authorities who contested his claim that he became a British resident in 2000.
In August 2007 Rossi was placed under investigation over possible undeclared earnings of 60 million euros for the period 2000-2004.
The state was reported to be going after Rossi for a total of 120 million euros, which included 43.7 million euros of unpaid tax as well as fines and interest that almost tripled the amount of tax he owed.
Last year, however, he closed his tussle with the taxman with an agreement to pay some 35 million euros for back taxes for the 2001-2006 period.
