Who is Kurts Adams Rozentals and what did he post? Plane video controversy explained as British canoeist is slapped with 2-year ban

British canoeist Kurts Adams Rozentals has been banned for two years from the sport. The 22-year-old athlete previously made headlines in May 2025, after claiming that he felt like he was "being forced" to choose between creating adult content on OnlyFans and being a canoeist.

Kurts Adams Rozentals competed at age-group international levels for years, then played at his first World Class Programme in 2022.

According to Paddle UK, he had two silver and three bronze medals across all national and international events.

This year, in January, Rozentals made his profile on OnlyFans to cover the costs of training and living.

However, he told BBC Sport that in April 2025, a disciplinary panel was set up, and he was under investigation. Kurts Adams Rozentals was also suspended from canoeing.

He shared that due to suspension, he could not access any facilities, or contact coaches, staff, or students.

While the reason behind his suspension was not revealed at the time, he heard from others that it was connected to his Instagram account, which he used to promote his adult content.

Kurts Adams Rozentals also shared that, being a World Class Programme athlete, he received £16,000, or nearly $21,000 a year, and was unable to sustain himself.

Raised by a single mother, Kurts stated that he tried working as a freelance video editor and in the Amazon warehouses.

However, it affected his training, and he had to resort to OnlyFans. He told BBC Sport that he made nearly £100,000, or nearly $131,390 via the platform.

On October 31, 2025, it was reported that the disciplinary panel found that Kurts Adams Rozentals uploaded a video of himself performing a "sexual act" on a plane in March 2025. It supposedly made canoeing into "serious disrepute."

Paddle UK reported that, along with a two-year ban from all competition and training, Kurts is no longer in the World Class Programme and would not participate in the 2032 Olympics.

Kurts Adams Rozentals spoke up about his two-year ban

Kurts Adams Rozentals gave a statement to BBC Sport on October 31. He claimed that while the now-deleted video was "crazy," it was not illegal, and should not have been the reason he got banned from canoeing.

Kurts said that he regretted uploading the video on Instagram. However, he noted that because of his adult content, he was able to provide his mother with a better life for the first time.

Rozentals also said that if athletes were funded with enough money, he would not have chosen to create adult content.

"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. It was the first time I was able to get my mum something nice after her sacrificing everything in order to allow me to chase my dream. And it came from crazy videos like the one that got me banned," the canoeist said.

Paddle UK said in a statement that it intends to create a "safe and open environment" for everyone, and disciplinary policy is taken when it is "necessary and proportionate."

Stay tuned for more updates on Kurts Adams Rozentals.