Dire financial straits are leading droves of Olympic athletes to sell images of their bodies to subscribers on OnlyFans β known for sexually explicit content β to sustain their dreams of gold at the Games. The Olympics, the world's biggest sporting stage, bring in billions of dollars in TV rights, ticket sales and sponsorship, but most athletes must fend for themselves financially.
The International Olympic Committee , however, was dismissive. Watching his sponsorships dry up and facing mounting costs, Jack Laugher was among the pantheon of Olympic athletes using the often-controversial platform to get to the Games β or simply survive. After medaling at the Tokyo Olympics in , Laugher, who scored another bronze in Paris last week for the U.
The AP spoke to multiple current and former Olympians who painted a sobering portrait of what they had to do β and bare β to get to Paris. Unable to secure traditional sponsorships, Mitcham began posting photos on OnlyFans, including semi-frontal nudes, earning triple the amount he received as a top athlete. I keep it artistic, I have fun with it and try not to take myself too seriously. This approach has helped me achieve a personal best result at the Olympics," he told the AP.
Global Athlete, an organization created by athletes to address the power imbalance in sports, decried the dire state of Olympic financing. The entire funding model for Olympic sport is broken. They all are making money off the backs of athletes. The AP spoke to multiple athletes who confirm they have had to pay their own way to the Olympics. While stars like Michael Phelps and Simone Biles can make millions , most athletes struggle to cover the cost of competing on the global stage.
These can include coaching, physical therapy and equipment, at a cost of thousands of dollars a month, as well as basic living expenses.
