Robbie Manson is not the first athlete to turn to OnlyFans. Photo / Instagram
Robbie Manson is not the first athlete to turn to OnlyFans. Photo / Instagram
Kiwi Olympic rower Robbie Manson has joined adult subscription site OnlyFans to help reignite his sporting dreams.
Manson, who comes from a family of top rowers and competed in rowing at the London and Rio Olympics in 2012 and 2016, was selected for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, which werepostponed due to the pandemic.
The disappointment and burnout took its toll and, after 15 years of rowing, Manson, 33, took some time out.
During his break from the relentless grind, he ventured into personal training and working with horses.
Now the current world record holder in the single sculls, and fastest sculler in rowing history has come out of retirement with his sights once more on the prize.
In March he was named in the Rowing New Zealand elite training squad. As the athletes seek a place in the team for the world championships in Belgrade in September, this month will see him trial in the men’s sculling group.
“As I embark on this exciting chapter of my rowing career, my sights are set on the world championships later this year and ultimately qualifying for the Paris Olympics next year,” Manson tells Spy.
Currently based in Cambridge, the athlete says although he may not have regained his physical peak of three years ago, he has maintained his body and is on a mission to break down barriers by joining OnlyFans.
In 2014, Manson came out — one of the first openly LGBTQ+ people in New Zealand rowing.
OnlyFans is a space where creators can lock their content behind a paywall, allowing fans access for a monthly fee or one-off payment. The site has grown rapidly in a few years and reportedly now boasts more than 190 million users and more than 2 million content creators.
Robbie Manson has joined adult subscription site OnlyFans. Photo / Instagram
It is known for sexual content where adult entertainers can make hundreds of thousands of dollars.
However, Manson stresses there will be nothing sexually explicit in his content, which costs $14.99 a month per subscriber.
Instead, he says he is embracing nudity as competitors did in the ancient Olympics. He hopes to break down barriers and champion body positivity.
“My bio describes me as a competitive athlete, where I strive to maintain a balance between artistry and professionalism,” says Manson.
He says his exclusive content will “tastefully explore the boundaries”, including artistic portrayals of nudity. His profile says subscribers will be directly supporting him on his journey to qualify for Paris.
“I’m on a mission to promote healthy masculinity, to challenge homophobia in sports and raise awareness about mental health, both within the elite athlete community and the LGBTQ+ community,” he says.
Manson is not the first athlete to turn to OnlyFans. Australian former racing driver Renee Gracie, American gymnast Erica Fontaine and Romanian-Canadian Olympic speed skater Alexandra Ianculescu all have accounts. Manson says Aussie Olympic diving gold medallist Matthew Mitcham, who launched his OnlyFans account earlier this year, inspired him to take the plunge.
“I believe my story holds potential to inspire and challenge conventional perspectives. It’s about embracing authenticity, pursuing passions and navigating uncharted waters,” says Manson.
