British canoeist Kurts Adams Rozentals finds him in the middle of a dilemma concerning injury rehabilitation and professional income. The 24-year-old slalom canoeist on the individual canoe slalom event is facing suspension from Paddle UK, the governing body for canoeing in the United Kingdom, allegedly because of his activity on OnlyFans. As a result, Rozentals has either to realize his Olympic aspirations or keep using the subscription-based platform which has become his easiest means of financial survival.
This case has sparked widespread conversations about how modern athletes balance maintaining a career in their sport while trying to secure sponsorships or funding—particularly in Olympic and semi-professional disciplines for which support is limited.
The Suspension: A Shock to the System
Associating Rozentals with the World Class Programme from 2022 to 2025 meant a direct funding connection from UK Sport. Termed as a “class programme,” the paddlers partook in a sort of competitive activity with set performance standards. Allegedly, as part of this programme, Rozentals also received allegations that led to suspending him from Paddle UK. The organization claimed that their reasons stem from citing “allegations”. His side of the story is that the controversies stem from monetizing the content via OnlyFans, which does not strictly mean pornography.
“Oh my goodness, why? I heard the news was completely jaw dropping,” Rozentals sobbed when he was being interviewed by BBC sport, “everything I have devoted 650260 hours for … is going now. I am an athlete.”
Athletics Comes At A Financial Cost
As discussed with Rozentals, those involved in the Paddle UK scheme get an annual allowance of £16,000. First of all, simply his description towards this stipend is very aggravating. He claimed that during his career as an athlete he had to juggle multiple things due to an imbalance of financial sufficiency, pushing his bound maximum with living sustaining activities in London was a struggle.
Not surprisingly in January 2025, Rozentals started Onlyfans. Apparently, he has claimed to earn more than $100,000. This has without a doubt alleviated his financial burden and helped him financially support his athletic endeavors.
This is a Much Larger Problem
The predicament that Rozental is involved in only highlights the larger problem of providing adequate funds for these athletes especially in the UK. Many argue that the Athlete Performance Award (APA), though much needed as a safety net, does not even come close to covering the real-life expenses in current living standards. The story of resulting from such funds with the psyche of a marketplace veteran and dedicated but underappreciated diver, Jack Laugher, mainly Known for using Onlyfans for the first time, is not unsurprising.
“I don’t believe athletes should have to choose between financial stability and pursuing their passions,” Rozentals remarked. His concerns empathize with the stories of several other athletes in less popular sports dealing with scant funding.
Ethics, Image, and the Role of Governing Bodies
Paddle UK has held its ground citing the potential risk to all parties in the case under ‘interim action’. At the moment, Sport Integrity is handling the investigation which will decide what is left of Rozentals’ career in the sport.
Opponents of the suspension point out that governing bodies have to advance with the times, especially considering the myriad of ways athletes nowadays monetize their brand. It is difficult to find grounds for defending the suspension when so many people argue that posting on OnlyFans, regardless of how immodestly, is legal. Many other supporters view the suspension as pointless overreaction, particularly given the increasing recognition of the platform across different sectors.
The Way Forward
Rozentals remains resolute on his stance saying that he does not want to have to wait while looking for an answer to the investigation’s conclusion. He most certainly does not want to be subjected to scrutiny by the media even after gaining attention on the athlete with the most personal struggles in sports. This should help have a sprinkle of sense when thinking about how no one economically constructive is looking at sports funding.
For now, Rozentals remains the self-advocate on behalf of himself and others like him. He once stated, “I will figure out how to pursue my Olympic dream but in order for that to happen the system requires an overhaul,” which leaves you to wonder profound thoughts regarding the world of sports and the reality of life for someone who lives for it.
