“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

The post Olympic Hopeful Claims OnlyFans Got Him Banned from Team GB Canoeing appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

As 2024 comes to a close, many are anticipating a bonus to celebrate the New Year, and elite athletes are no exception. Gold medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympics will be rewarded with substantial bonuses and gifts for their achievements. However, an analysis by CNN Sport reveals a stark pay discrepancy: Paralympic athletes are often receiving far less than their Olympic counterparts—sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars less.

Different Structures, Different Rewards

One key reason for this disparity lies in the separate governing bodies for Olympic and Paralympic sports in many countries. In some nations like the United States, a single organization—the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC)—governs both sectors. Meanwhile, countries like Australia have distinct entities: the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia. These differences extend to funding, with many National Olympic and Paralympic Committees (NOCs and NPCs) relying on government support, sponsorships, or private investments to fund their athletes.

While at least 42 countries reward their Olympic gold medalists with over $100,000, only 23 countries (including Taiwan) offer the same sum to their Paralympic champions. In fact, some countries reward Paralympic medalists with drastically smaller bonuses.

Wide Discrepancies in Rewards

For example, Singapore’s Paralympic gold medalists receive 500,000 Singapore Dollars (around $385,000), which, though generous, is still only half the bonus given to Olympic gold medalists. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Paralympic gold medalists are awarded HK$1.5 million (approximately $190,000), which is a significant 75% smaller than the bonus given to Olympic gold medalists. In Vietnam, a $1 million bonus was promised to Olympic gold medalists, but Paralympic athletes were offered just 1% of that amount—approximately $15,700.

These disparities extend beyond bonuses. The Vietnamese Olympic Committee pledged $1 million for any athlete winning a gold medal in Paris, but Paralympic athletes received significantly lower amounts—only 400 million Vietnamese dong (roughly $15,700). Some countries, including Great Britain, Bangladesh, and Iceland, do not offer any financial reward for Olympic or Paralympic medalists at all.

Global Context: Olympic vs. Paralympic Rewards

CNN’s investigation revealed that of the 205 nations competing in Paris 2024, 74 countries offer prize money to Olympic medalists, but only 55 countries pledged prize money to Paralympic medalists. Even among the countries that offer both, there is often a glaring disparity between the two, with Paralympic athletes receiving far less.

For example, while World Athletics offers Olympic track and field gold medalists $50,000 in prize money, World Para Athletics does not offer similar financial rewards. In response, World Para Athletics expressed its hope for future investments and discussions about how to reward athletes. While there are more medal events at the Paralympic Games (164 compared to 48 for World Athletics), funding remains a major hurdle.

Calls for Parity: Athletes Speak Out

This imbalance has prompted strong reactions from athletes, including nine-time British Paralympic gold medalist Hannah Cockroft, who voiced her frustration about the lack of financial rewards for Paralympic athletes. She stressed the disparity, pointing out that the prize money offered to Olympic gold medalists would be very useful in funding personal expenses such as her wedding.

Ian Brittain, an academic and expert in Paralympic sport, explained that these differences in rewards send a harmful message of “less than” to disabled athletes. He argued that the achievement of Paralympic athletes is often more challenging, with greater personal and financial hurdles to overcome.

Unique Gifts and Rewards

While the financial bonuses may vary, Paralympic athletes still receive other forms of recognition, including gifts. For instance, Malaysian gold medalists received RM 1 million (around $235,000) and a lifetime monthly stipend of RM 5,000, while Uzbek athletes were rewarded with cars and cottages for their victories. In Romania, Paralympic gold medalists were given Toyotas, in contrast to their Olympic counterparts who received Hyundais.

A Changing Landscape?

While disparities persist, there is evidence that some countries are taking steps toward equalizing rewards for Olympic and Paralympic champions. Canada, for example, has pledged equal rewards of CA$20,000 (approximately $14,500) for both Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists. Georgia is the most generous, offering 1 million GEL (around $370,000) to both sets of athletes.

The United States, however, offers less, with $37,500 for both Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists. Latvia, which used to offer half the prize money to Paralympic medalists, has now achieved parity, awarding €142,288 (around $150,000) to each of its gold medalists in Paris 2024. Lithuania is also working to close the gap, with plans to equalize bonuses in the near future.

Addressing Underlying Inequities

Timothy Hodge, a double gold medalist from Australia, celebrated his country’s move to equalize bonuses, but he stressed that the broader issue of funding inequalities in Paralympic sport remains. He pointed out that, despite prize money parity, there is still a significant disparity in private funding and organizational support for Paralympic sports compared to their Olympic counterparts.

Despite these challenges, there has been an increase in high-performance investment into Paralympic sport in Australia. However, Hodge and other athletes continue to advocate for further improvements in funding, equipment, and opportunities for para-athletes.

Conclusion: A Long Road to Equality

While some nations are leading the way in closing the gap between Olympic and Paralympic rewards, the disparity remains a significant issue. Many Paralympic athletes are pushing for not only equal bonuses but also for broader recognition and support. As more countries adopt policies of parity, the hope is that one day, Paralympic athletes will receive the same financial rewards and recognition as their Olympic counterparts. Until then, the fight for equality in sport continues.

Source

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