Dire financial straits are leading droves of Olympic athletes to sell images of their bodies to subscribers on OnlyFans — known for sexually explicit content — to sustain their dreams of gold at the Games.

Dire financial straits are leading droves of Olympic athletes to sell images of their bodies to subscribers on OnlyFans — known for sexually explicit content — to sustain their dreams of gold at the Games. As they struggle to make ends meet, a spotlight is being cast on an Olympics funding system that watchdog groups condemn as “broken,” claiming most athletes “can barely pay their rent.”

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 (IOC) did not express concern about the situation. When asked by The Associated Press about athletes turning to OnlyFans, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said, “I would assume that athletes, like all citizens, are allowed to do what they can.”

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 — or simply survive.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      164·
      4 months ago

      They should be funded by the IOC. Right now, they’re being paid by their country (if they want to have a chance of medaling).

      They also rarely train inside that country or with a trainer from that country. Many of them go to the U.S. for training and stay there for years.

      • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
        13·
        4 months ago

        And how do you suggest the IOC should get the money to pay for all those ‘employees’ ?

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          111·
          4 months ago

          From the article:

          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.

          • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
            33·
            4 months ago

            Ok, so the IOC should be taking that revenue away from the host country and expect them to pay for the infrastructure and staff at an even bigger loss?

            Which country or city would want to do that?