In a sport where balance, precision, and split-second decisions are everything, British canoeist Kurt Adams Rozentals is now navigating something far more turbulent than whitewater rapids: the toxic undertow of sports bureaucracy—and a healthy splash of moral panic.
Rozentals, 22, has been training to represent Great Britain in canoe slalom at the 2028 Olympic Games. But instead of preparing for L.A., he found himself suspended from Paddle UK’s elite programme, all because he dared to open an OnlyFans account. Yes, that OnlyFans.
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The athlete, who has spent over a decade honing his craft and competing internationally, said his Olympic dream has been put on ice after Paddle UK hit him with what they’re calling an “interim action” back in April. According to the governing body, this was done “to safeguard other athletes, staff, and volunteers due to the nature of the allegation.”
What’s the allegation? Great question. Paddle UK won’t say. But their disciplinary policy includes such catch-all sins as “offensive use of social media” and “indecent, offensive or immoral behaviour.” For those keeping track, that’s one vague accusation short of a Victorian scandal.
Meanwhile, Rozentals has been refreshingly transparent.
“At the end of the day, I started this to help with the sport, and it certainly is helping when I’m on the start line, and I’m not having to worry about rent and food on the table. It’s a good feeling,” he told Sky News.
With £16,000 a year in funding—barely above the poverty line—Rozentals tried warehouse work and freelance gigs before turning to content creation in January. His aim? To fund his Olympic journey without compromising training time.
Let’s pause there. We are talking about a young man sacrificing everything to represent his country—and yet the scandal isn’t underfunding athletes, it’s that he dared to monetize his own body on his own terms?
Rozentals addressed this head-on in a social media post: “i started making what they now describe ‘edgy videos’, with the focus to grow a following, because trying to live on the salary PaddleUK pays their athletes is near impossible.”
He added: “… to ban me from racing? to ban me from speaking to my teammates like I’m some criminal? that’s fu**ing insane.”
There it is. Not profane—truthful.
But of course, the internet, like a British tabloid, loves scandals, especially one involving abs, ambition, and a side of softcore. Rozentals admits his mother “was crying for a week” when she found out. “She worked so hard, sacrificed her life to get us into sport and to prove that people from underprivileged backgrounds can reach something and achieve something good in life,” he said. “And then when I did that… She did eventually come around and understand why I did what I did.”
Can we take a moment for the family dynamics here? A queer-coded, working-class underdog story, layered with guilt, grit, and generational sacrifice? Frankly, it’s giving indie drama. Someone call Netflix.
And yes, in case you’re wondering: OnlyFans was lucrative. He made six figures. But Rozentals was never in it for influencer fame. “I don’t want to just be an influencer. My dream was always to do something bigger,” he said.
That something bigger, in his eyes, is still canoeing.
“I was raised with a whatever-it-takes mentality, and I think that’s how we’ve got to where we are now.”
We love a tenacious king. Especially one who can balance in a kayak and a cultural double standard.
Rozentals is far from alone. Athletes like Robbie Manson, Matthew Mitcham, and Noah Williams have all turned to subscription-based content to fund their careers. And let’s be real: if those abs are putting food on the table and medals around necks, what’s the issue?
Paddle UK insists its action “was taken to ensure the integrity of the investigation and to safeguard other athletes, staff, and volunteers.” It calls the decision “necessary and proportionate.” But to many in the LGBTQ+ community—who’ve seen queer people policed, sidelined, or shamed for embracing autonomy over their bodies—this sounds suspiciously familiar.
So here’s the million-pound question: What’s more offensive—an athlete taking ownership of his image to pay rent, or a system that makes him choose between Olympic gold and financial survival?
Rozentals isn’t cancel-worthy. He’s cautionary. And courageous. In the face of judgment, he’s stood by his truth, his sport, and, yes, his fans.
And for that, we’re not just watching. We’re rooting for him.
Source: SkyNews
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