British canoeist Kurts Adams Rozentals has been suspended from the sport for two years after posting sexually explicit content to his social media accounts. The 23-year-old athlete was found to have uploaded a video of himself performing a sexual act on an airplane, an action that a disciplinary panel ruled brought his sport into serious disrepute.
According to the BBC, the explicit video was shared on Rozentals’ Instagram account in March. The panel overseeing the case determined that the footage breached conduct policies covering indecent, offensive, or immoral behavior.
As a result, Rozentals has been banned from competing and training for two years. He was also previously removed from the World Class Programme, a Paddle UK initiative that helps athletes prepare for the Olympics.
Credit: @kurtsadams / Instagram.
Athlete Claimed OnlyFans Was Financial Lifeline
Rozentals made headlines earlier this year after revealing that he had earned more than $200,000 from his OnlyFans account between January and May. At the time, he argued that creating adult content was the only way he could afford to continue pursuing his Olympic ambitions, per The Sun.
He said his annual $32,000 grant from the World Class Programme was insufficient to cover training and living expenses. “This ban would have never happened if athletes were funded properly,” Rozentals told BBC Sport. “While I understand the video could be described as crazy, it was not illegal and certainly shouldn’t be the reason for banning an athlete.”
No Regrets Over the Controversial Post
Despite the disciplinary ruling, Rozentals expressed little remorse over his decision to film and upload the video. “Looking back now, I probably wouldn’t post something like that,” he said. “But I remember the state of mind I was in when I did it. It was the first time I saw real progress in my financial situation. I was finally able to fund my own training.”
He went on to explain that the financial success from his OnlyFans account had been life-changing. “I saw a direct correlation between making those videos and my situation improving,” he said. “It’s a crazy world we live in. I don’t regret it.”
Credit: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images.
Governing Body Responds
In response to the controversy, Paddle UK released a statement reaffirming its commitment to maintaining integrity within the sport. “We are committed to ensuring a safe and open environment for all, and action under the athlete disciplinary policy is taken where necessary and proportionate,” the organization said.
The two-year ban effectively ends Rozentals’ Olympic aspirations for the foreseeable future, marking a dramatic turn in the career of an athlete once seen as a rising star in British canoeing.