A 23-year-old Olympic hopeful was banned for two years after sharing an explicit video of himself performing a "sex act on a plane" on social media.
Kurts Adams Rozentals, who competes in individual canoe slalom, was found guilty of gross misconduct by a disciplinary panel and has now been deselected from the World Class Program, losing critical funding ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Kurtz Adams Rozentals was banned for two years by Paddle UK. Credit: Justin Setterfield / Getty
Rozentals Slams Ban Over Viral Video
Speaking to Sky News, Rozentals described the disciplinary action as “very extreme” and insisted the now-infamous video was more “edgy” than explicit.
“I think the outcome is very extreme,” he said. “I’m only human. I make mistakes, but banning me for two years… I think it’s pretty wild.”
The athlete claims the content was still live on Instagram until he removed it, not because the platform flagged it, but out of respect for the situation. “It didn’t get removed by Instagram… it wasn’t explicit. It wasn’t anything that’s not suitable for Instagram,” he said.
However, Paddle UK, the governing body, disagrees, as Rozentals “admitted posting an explicit video on their public Instagram profile, which was subsequently removed given its explicit nature.”
They cited breaches related to “indecent, offensive or immoral behavior” and “offensive use of social media.”
They also accused Rozentals of misleading the public by suggesting the ban was related to his work on OnlyFans, where he reportedly earns big bucks from adult-themed content.
Kurtz Adams Rozentals was banned for two years by Paddle UK. Credit: Justin Setterfield / Getty
Rozentals Makes Six Figures From OnlyFans
The athlete has acknowledged turning to the subscription platform to support his Olympic ambitions, citing the limited financial support available for elite athletes.
While Paddle UK gave him a £16,000 (over $20K) annual grant, Rozentals said he made over £100,000 ($130K) from social media videos between January and May alone.
“I don’t care about money for money’s sake. However, now I’m blessed to be in a position where I can treat my mum, who sacrificed everything in her life to be able to give me the opportunities to chase this Olympic dream,” he said, Metro reported.
“Just being able to give back… that means more to me than getting a medal," he added.
He shared that edgy content is what gains traction online and ultimately attracts sponsorships: “In regards to the social media content, of course, it’s not what they want their athletes to be ideally making… it’s obviously edgy content.
“But also that doesn’t get views… that also doesn’t drive attention… and that’s not going to drive sponsorships," he concluded.
Despite the setback, Rozentals is refusing to walk away from his sport and vows to find a way to reach the Olympics, with or without Paddle UK’s support. “One way or another, I’ll make it to the Olympics," he added.
In its closing statement, Paddle UK said it remains “committed to ensuring a safe and open environment for all,” stressing that disciplinary action is taken “where necessary and proportionate".