An Olympian has shared details about their surprising side hustle that generates twice the income compared to their sports career.
The pay for Olympic athletes varies significantly depending on their home country.
For instance, a gold medalist from Singapore can earn an impressive $745,000, whereas their counterpart in Team USA receives $38,000.
Most athletes do not receive a salary during their Olympic training and preparation, often relying on sponsorships for additional income.
However, New Zealand stands out by reportedly paying its athletes annually.
According to the Economic Research Institute, the typical salary for a Professional Athlete in New Zealand ranges between NZD 47,097 and NZD 76,862.
This salary range falls within the average for New Zealand residents.
In terms of medal rewards, New Zealand provides yearly bonuses, with gold medalists earning $40,000 annually until the next games, as reported by Sky News.
New Zealand is renowned for its success in rowing, having secured 29 medals in the sport over the years. To supplement his income, rower Robbie Manson has taken on additional activities.
Manson recently disclosed that he has launched his own OnlyFans page, which has already proven quite lucrative.
“I get more than double what I would be on otherwise as an athlete – read into that what you will, but I am making more from OnlyFans than I am from rowing at this stage,” he said, according to NBC News.
“I thought, if I’m going to do it, you have to tell everyone, be really open and I think you need to feel that any publicity is good publicity.”
Manson, who is openly gay, mentioned that he already has a significant gay following and decided to ‘lean into it’.
“I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone, (but) for other athletes, there’s definitely an opportunity there,” he added.
Manson is not the only Olympian on OnlyFans; British athletes Jack Laugher and Elise Christie are also on the platform.
Similar to New Zealand, British athletes do not receive a direct monetary reward for winning medals at the Games.
Elise Christie, a retired short track speed skater, credited OnlyFans with ‘saving her life’.
“I went from being someone who won medals under a system to then having absolutely nothing and just being dropped out and left to understand life,” she told The Telegraph.
“I had lost my house and was working three jobs at the time…[OnlyFans] brought me back from a really dark place, and I now use it positively.”
Sometimes, you have to do what it takes to make ends meet!