A day after the International Olympic Committee gave a tacit thumbs up to athletes using OnlyFans, two divers with accounts on the platform completed their Paris programs with relative success.
Noah Williams took individual 10m bronze for Great Britain, to go with the synchro silver he secured alongside Tom Daley towards the start of the Games.
Timo Barthel was thrilled to end up in the top half after all 12 finalists had completed their six dives at the Aquatics Centre. “Am I dreaming? 6th best in the WORLD,” the German wrote on Instagram.
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Both athletes have sizeable gay followings on OnlyFans. Williams, in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend Lucy, mentions in his bio that it is “SFW content” and asks subscribers to “support my Olympics journey.”
It’s not known how much the posts contribute towards his funding but his GB teammate Jack Laugher (who also won a bronze medal in Paris) has described how it’s been a “lifeline” as he only receives around $36,000 a year from UK Sport.
The price points for Williams and Laugher start at $10 a month, while Barthel begins his at $15. He tells potential subscribers: “I will post anything I feel like doing and ready to show.”
Like Williams, Barthel competed in the synchro final on July 29, finishing seventh with Jaden Eikermann. The 28-year-old posted to OnlyFans the same day about his frustration of trying to use the world’s best-known gay dating app: “Everybody on Grindr thinks I’m fake… why am I not allowed to have fun… everyday Grindr blocks me… soooooo annoying.”
When Outsports has asked Barthel in the past about his sexuality, he has said he describes himself as “human,” eschewing the word gay or others that might be seen as labels within the LGBTQ+ initialism.
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He posted again on his account on Wednesday to say he was struggling with injury. “I have to admit that I’m not in shape… I had to go through hell the last few weeks. I have a lot of pain in my wrist and shoulder.”
The reigning European 10m champion also said he was expecting to need surgery after Paris. Then on his Instagram story before Saturday, he referred to the final as “my last dance,” adding: “My love-hate relationship comes to an end.” In a further post, he confirmed that this would be his last 10m event.
Despite the pressure and the pain, Barthel performed consistently through the six rounds, rising from ninth to sixth.
As for Williams, his final two dives both scored over 90 points from the judges, propelling him onto the podium. Cao Yuan was outstanding throughout, his gold medal completing a Chinese clean sweep of all eight diving competitions, while Japan’s Rikuto Tamai was the runner-up.
Williams will be expected to challenge for the medals again in Los Angeles in four years’ time. Whether Barthel does a Daley and opts to stay on for just the synchro competition remains to be seen.
What seems much more certain is that the OnlyFans era for Olympic hopefuls is only just beginning. IOC spokesman Mark Adams was asked about the situation by the Associated Press in the week, replying: “I would assume that athletes, like all citizens, are allowed to do what they can.”
In a recent op-ed for the Daily Telegraph, Matthew Mitcham — who made history in 2008 as the first out gay man to win Olympic gold — defended OnlyFans as an income stream for athletes.
“If you’re hot and you market yourself effectively and regularly, you can attract a lot of interest,” said the Australian diving champion from the Beijing Games.
When they reflect on their routes to Paris, their preparation and how they performed on the day, you can’t imagine Williams and Barthel will have any regrets.
