The law approved on Tuesday by pro-government lawmakers would require private funding for professional sports leagues to be approved by the state-run National Sports Institute.

It’s not yet clear to what extent the new restrictions could limit the amount of money provided by private sponsors, but Venezuelan Professional Baseball League president Jose Grasso said “the issue of sponsorship is a concern.”

“We are surprised by this change,” Grasso said in a telephone interview.

He complained the law includes measures aimed at controlling private financing for teams, which depend heavily on sponsors.

“For the teams, sponsorship represents approximately 70 percent of income,” Grasso said. “If sponsorship is restricted or limited in any way, we will be weakened.”

Under the law approved by the National Assembly, officials in President Hugo Chavez’s government are to come up with new regulations governing professional sports. How those regulations might change the way the sports leagues function has yet to be determined.

Pro-Chavez lawmakers insist professional sports must be considered a public service, and therefore be subject to more strict government oversight.

The contentious law was approved after weeks of debate between members of the National Assembly, professional athletes and representatives of the country’s baseball, football and basketball teams.

Eduardo Alvarez, president of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee, echoed the concerns about private sponsorship.

“We are not at all in agreement with funding passing through a checkpoint,” he said.

But Alvarez said the legislation would also be beneficial in other areas. He praised changes including boosting government money for athletes and physical education, creating a special court for sports-related disputes, and creating new rules for elections to choose leaders of sports federations.

Critics complained their proposals for the legislation were ignored.

But Sports Minister Hector Rodriguez denied that lawmakers overlooked proposals, saying the law “was conceived from within the heart of the sporting communities.” He called the law a “triumph of the revolution,” referring to Chavez’s leftist government.

Rodriguez said the law will allow for sports to expand in Venezuela by giving increased access to sporting activities to the poor. He also said it will give athletes, trainers and referees more decision-making power in selecting authorities to lead various sports federations, including the Venezuelan Olympic Committee.

Under the law, a National Fund for Sports will be created. Many private businesses, if they earn more than about $350,000 annually, will be required to contribute 1 percent of revenue to the fund.

Proceeds from the fund will be distributed among sports organizations, including professional sports leagues.