Promising athlete suspended from national competition amid investigation into social media activity

A rising British canoe slalom athlete claims he faces an impossible choice between pursuing Olympic glory and maintaining financial stability after being suspended from national-level competition, allegedly over his presence on the adult content platform OnlyFans.

Kurts Adams Rozentals, a silver medalist at the 2023 World Under-23 Championships, was suspended in April by Paddle UK, the sport’s national governing body, during what officials describe as an ongoing investigation into unspecified social media content. While Paddle UK has not publicly confirmed the nature of the allegations, Rozentals believes his suspension directly relates to his activity on OnlyFans, where he reports earning over £100,000 since January.

Financial pressures drive unconventional decisions

The individual canoe slalom competitor’s journey to the subscription platform stems from years of financial hardship that he says nearly derailed his athletic career. Rozentals, who receives an annual grant of £16,000 through Paddle UK’s World Class Programme, argues that traditional funding falls woefully short of covering basic living and training expenses, particularly for athletes operating in and around London.

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“I’ve posted content that’s edgy on Instagram to drive traffic to my OnlyFans, and that income helps fund my Olympic dream,” Rozentals told BBC Sport. The athlete described traveling repeatedly between the East Midlands and training facilities, stretching limited resources to pursue his sporting ambitions.

His decision to join OnlyFans, he explains, was born from necessity rather than choice. Rozentals recounts his family’s struggles with debt and his mother working 90-hour weeks to make ends meet. “When you’re at the start line thinking about how to pay rent, you’re not performing at your best,” he said.

Governing body maintains “neutral” stance

Paddle UK has characterized its action as a precautionary rather than punitive measure. In an official statement, the organization described the suspension as “neutral” and “interim,” designed to “safeguard all parties” while Sport Integrity, an independent investigation body, reviews the matter.

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The governing body’s disciplinary framework explicitly identifies “offensive social media use” and “immoral behaviour” as potential grounds for misconduct proceedings that could result in de-selection from national programs. Under the current suspension, Rozentals has been removed from the lottery-funded World Class Programme and barred from contacting other program participants during the investigation.

Athlete refuses to back down

Despite facing potential career consequences, Rozentals remains defiant about his financial strategy. “It’s the hardest decision of my life—giving up either financial stability or the sport I’ve put my whole identity into,” he stated. The athlete has indicated he will not shut down his OnlyFans account unless circumstances change significantly.

His stance reflects a broader tension between traditional sporting values and modern realities facing athletes who struggle to make ends meet through conventional funding channels. “Most athletes are supported by their families. I wasn’t,” Rozentals explained, highlighting the disparity in support systems available to competitors from different backgrounds.

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Broader implications for elite sport

Rozentals’ case has ignited discussions about athlete autonomy, digital monetization, and whether current support structures adequately address the financial realities of modern sports careers. The controversy gains additional context from Olympic gold medallist diver Jack Laugher’s decision to create an OnlyFans account in 2024, demonstrating that even elite athletes face significant financial pressures.

UK Sport, the organization behind the athlete grant program, declined to comment specifically on Rozentals’ situation but acknowledged ongoing efforts to address funding concerns. “Our Athlete Performance Award is designed to support basic living and sporting costs. We announced an increase in these allowances earlier this year,” the body stated.

Investigation continues

As the Sport Integrity review proceeds, Rozentals awaits a decision that could determine whether his Olympic aspirations remain viable. The case has crystallized growing debates about how sporting authorities should respond to athletes’ innovative approaches to income generation, particularly when those strategies challenge traditional expectations of athletic conduct.

The outcome may establish important precedents for how governing bodies balance moral standards with practical recognition of the financial challenges facing competitors in an increasingly expensive sporting landscape. For now, Rozentals remains suspended, caught between his entrepreneurial solution to funding shortfalls and the institutional expectations of his sport’s leadership.

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