Olympians are turning to OnlyFans: A steamy side hustle to ease financial struggles

While the 2024 Olympics is surely keeping the athletes busy with training and competing, a few of them are also making time for a steamy side activity- OnlyFans. As per reports, numerous athletes have accounts on the adult content platform and are posting semi-nude photographs to get some extra cash.

Jack Laugher, who is part of Great Britain’s diving team, revealed to The Telegraph about his OnlyFans account. He said, “Yes, I try and make extra money. Obviously, I’ve got something people want, and I’ll happily cash in on that. I’m a bit of a hustler, and I want a bit more money if I can [get it].”

Why are Olympians turning to OnlyFans?

Though Laugher’s admission of being the website was met with shock, the reason behind it seemed understandable. He explained that athletes are paid less due to which some consider a side hustle such as this one. “The funding [in diving] hasn’t changed. When I first went on [in 2011], it was £21,000 for the top eight in the world. And at the time, as a 16-year-old, I was buzzing. But I’m almost 30 now, I’m in the top three in the world, and it is £28,000 a year.” (Also Read: Who is Olivia Coffey? A private equity staffer merging corporate success and Olympic ambitions)

Even while it is livable, a £28,000 annual wage is not nearly as much as what an average 30-year-old makes. According to official data from the House of Commons library, the median wage for those aged 30-39 in April 2023 was £37,544. Considering the hours worked and other factors, £28,000 a year is not comparable to other workers of Laugher’s age. Divers train for up to eight hours a day, six days a week, leading up to the Olympics, according to Laugher’s teammate Tom Daley, reported The Telegraph.

Along with Laugher, his teammates Noah Williams, Daniel Goodfellow, and Matty Lee are all on the platform. Other athletes have also turned to OnlyFans due to the high expense of training and sustaining themselves in order to compete in the Olympics.

For $14.99 a month, Team Zealand rower Robbie Manson charges users access to “exclusive content that tastefully explores the boundaries, including artistic portrayals of nudity.” However, he cautions potential customers that the content does not feature “explicit sex acts.” (Also Read: ‘Medal is bronze, look is pure gold’: Anand Mahindra on Manu Bhaker’s historic Olympic win)

It’s also important to consider that even if Olympians excel in their chosen fields, they haven’t spent ten years in the workforce gaining the skills that people their age have acquired by the time they retire in their late 20s or early 30s. It can, therefore, be difficult to adjust to the realities of a life outside of sports.

Team Great Britain short-track speed skater Elise Christie, who set up an OnlyFans account after she retired in 2021, told The Telegraph, “I went from being someone who won medals under a system to then having absolutely nothing and just being dropped out and left to understand life. I had lost my house and was working three jobs at the time… [OnlyFans] brought me back from a really dark place, and I now use it positively.”

Other retired Olympians who are using OnlyFans include Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman, Canadian speed skater Alexandra Ianculescu, Australian basketballer Liz Cambage and Australian springboard diver Matthew Mitcham.