Canoe slalom competitor suspended for explicit material
British canoe slalom competitor Kurts Adams Rozentals has been suspended from all competition and training for two years following the publication of explicit material on social media, reports BritPanorama.
The 23-year-old athlete uploaded footage to his public Instagram profile in March, which disciplinary authorities characterised as a sexual act aboard an aircraft.
The governing body’s independent panel determined the content brought canoeing into serious disrepute. Additionally, Rozentals was found to have deliberately deceived media outlets regarding the nature of his suspension.
As a result of the ruling, he has been removed from UK Sport’s lottery-funded World Class Programme, which supports athletes preparing for the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Games. The disciplinary proceedings followed an independent investigation conducted by Sport Integrity.
During the hearing, Rozentals acknowledged uploading the explicit material to his Instagram account, which was subsequently removed due to its inappropriate nature. Paddle UK confirmed that the athlete’s conduct violated multiple provisions of their disciplinary policy.
These violations specifically related to “indecent, offensive or immoral behaviour” and “offensive use of social media.” The panel cited gross misconduct under section 8.6 of the Athlete Disciplinary Policy in its ruling.
Beyond the competition ban, Rozentals faces complete exclusion from the elite training programme that supports Britain’s Olympic canoeing prospects. He defended his actions by highlighting the financial pressures facing athletes, stating, “This ban would have never happened if athletes were funded properly.”
The canoeist revealed his annual funding from Paddle UK totalled £16,000. In contrast, he claimed to have generated over £100,000 from social media content between January and May. “It was the first time in my life I saw real progress in my financial situation. It was the first time I was able to fund the training myself,” Rozentals stated.
He also mentioned that this income enabled him to support his mother, who he said had “sacrificed everything” for his sporting ambitions. However, the panel found that Rozentals had “intentionally misinformed the press” about his suspension’s connection to his OnlyFans account.
In May, he had told media outlets he believed the ban related to his adult content platform, where he posted what he termed “spicy content” to finance his Olympic aspirations. Despite calling his behaviour “crazy,” Rozentals maintained he harboured no regrets. “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,” he noted.
Paddle UK reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining “a safe and open environment for all,” underscoring the importance of their disciplinary measures in protecting the integrity of the sport. In a landscape where sports meet modern challenges, Rozentals’ case exemplifies the tension between personal expression and professional conduct, leaving a complex narrative in its wake.
