British Canoeist Says He’s Being Forced to Choose Between Olympic Dreams and OnlyFans

“To ban me from racing? Like I’m some criminal? That’s fu**ing insane.”

Those are the words of 22-year-old British canoeist Kurts Adams Rozentals, who says he’s been frozen out of elite competition by his sport’s governing body—not for doping, cheating, or misconduct, but because of content he posts on OnlyFans.

Rozentals, a silver medalist at the 2023 Under-23 World Championships in canoe slalom, was considered a strong contender for Team GB at the 2028 Olympics. But in early April, he says he received a call from a representative of Paddle UK, the national governing body, telling him he was banned from the final round of Olympic team selections. Worse, he claims, he was also barred from speaking to his coach, staff, and even his teammates.

The reason? His social media activity—specifically, his presence on OnlyFans.

A Controversial Call from Paddle UK

In a lengthy Instagram post to his 73,900 followers, Rozentals laid bare the news: “I got a call from a Paddle UK representative, where I was told that I’m banned from competing at the 2nd and final part of GB team selections… PaddleUK’s reasoning? My social media posts.”

OnlyFans is widely known for its adult content, although creators also use the platform for fitness, music, and lifestyle content. Rozentals admits that some of his content includes nude images sent to paying subscribers.

Governing Body Responds with Investigation

Paddle UK confirmed to CNN that Rozentals is currently under investigation, citing its Athlete Disciplinary Policy. The matter has been handed off to Sport Integrity, an independent investigative service.

Pending the outcome, Paddle UK says Rozentals is subject to “interim action,” which prohibits him from accessing team facilities or engaging with coaches, staff, and fellow athletes in the World Class Programme. The organization emphasized its commitment to maintaining a “safe and open environment,” and said such action is “only taken where necessary and proportionate.”

“I Did Whatever It Took”

Rozentals says his decision to join OnlyFans wasn’t about fame or rebellion—it was survival.

“I was sick of worrying how to pay rent,” he wrote. “I did whatever it took to never be in that position.”

Born in Latvia and raised in the UK, Rozentals says financial struggles have shadowed his journey from the start. “Money has always been a massive struggle,” he said. “Trying to live on the salary Paddle UK pays their athletes is near impossible.”

According to him, he earns just £16,000 ($21,500) a year from canoeing—barely enough to live on in the UK. Before turning to OnlyFans, he says he tried everything from freelance video editing to working night shifts at Amazon. “If it’s not illegal, I’ve done it,” he told CNN.

Since joining OnlyFans in January, Rozentals says he’s earned over £100,000 ($135,000). But he insists the platform wasn’t his dream—it was simply a way to fund his Olympic aspirations. “Doing OF was not my dream,” he said. “It was a way to support the ultimate goal of going to the Olympics.”

A Viral Plea

The Instagram post, which Rozentals hoped would go viral, aimed to highlight the financial realities many athletes face behind the scenes. He feels blindsided by the timing of the decision—smack in the middle of national team selections—and says the lack of communication since has left him feeling “treated like a criminal.”

Even his OnlyFans landing page carries a bittersweet tone. It reads:
“Dear mum and dad, please don’t click on this link. And to everyone else, hope you enjoy ;)”

What Comes Next?

With the investigation still ongoing, Rozentals’ future in competitive canoeing remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: he’s sparked a conversation about how we support—and judge—our athletes.

“If this was about performance, I’d be in the boat,” he said. “But it’s not. It’s about perception. And that’s what hurts the most.”

Source: CNN – British canoeist says he’s being forced to choose between Olympic dreams and OnlyFans