A 23-year-old British canoeist has been handed a two-year suspension from his sport for posting a sexually explicit video of himself engaging in a controversial act on an airplane. Kurts Adams Rozentals, who aspired to represent Team GB, shared the video on his Instagram account in March this year, leading to disciplinary action.
Despite having a significant following of 109,000 on the platform, a disciplinary panel found Rozentals guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute and engaging in gross misconduct. Consequently, he not only received a ban from competing and training but was also removed from the World Class Programme, a support system for Team GB athletes aiming for the 2028 and 2032 Olympics.
Expressing his discontent with the decision, Rozentals, affiliated with Paddle UK, the governing body for canoeing and similar sports in the UK, deemed the suspension as overly severe. In an interview with BBC Sport, he argued that the video, although unconventional, did not warrant such punitive action.
The governing body clarified that Rozentals admitted to posting an explicit video on his public Instagram profile, which violated their disciplinary policies related to offensive and immoral behavior on social media. Rozentals, who received £16,000 annually from Paddle UK, revealed earning over £100,000 through a subscription-based social media platform from January to May.
When asked about any regrets regarding the video that led to his ban, Rozentals expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the financial benefits he accrued from such content. Paddle UK emphasized its commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment, stating that disciplinary measures are implemented when deemed necessary.
Having an OnlyFans account since January 10th, Rozentals’ profile bio reflects his unfiltered and unrestrained approach to content creation. The athlete’s case underscores the complexities of social media usage within the realm of professional sports and the consequences it can entail.