I think people are forgetting something, which is that younger people like clout. OnlyFans isn't really that taboo for a lot of younger people. It's associated with being hot and making money. A lot of Olympians probably WANTED their OnlyFans to pop off because they thought it was cool. And they don't have to show full nudes or sex, many just post in swimsuits, softcore porn, or tasteful covered nudes. Being "forced" to do OnlyFans is a bit of a stretch for some athletes, but I agree that the games in general are exploiting the athletes. I think the games themselves could be considered a type of sex work, though.

While some athletes say they don’t see what they’re doing as sex work, German diver Bartel put it frankly: “In sport, you wear nothing but a Speedo, so you’re close to being naked.”

“The entire funding model for Olympic sport is broken. The IOC generates now over US$1.7 billion per year and they refuse to pay athletes who attend the Olympics,” said Rob Koehler, Global Athlete’s director general.

He criticized the IOC for forcing athletes to sign away their image rights.

“The majority of athletes can barely pay their rent, yet the IOC, national Olympic committees and national federations that oversee the sport have employees making over six figures. They all are making money off the backs of athletes. In a way, it is akin to modern-day slavery,” Koehler said.

It is amazing how sex work specifically makes people hate capitalism. People don't mind a capitalist, but as soon as that capitalist is a pimp or madame, then they can see the immorality

Problem is that people in the Olympics aren’t supposed to be professional athletes. IOW they can’t make any money off their skills. I think the Olympic rules have sought to reinforce that not because they really don’t want paid athletes, just that they want everyone surrounding the Olympic entertainment industry to get paid instead. Networks, venues, vendors, etc.

The aura of amateur status still looms large.

I reckon that it is to fund their own training when their government is too corrupt and uncaring to support them. Us in the West take for granted that the government provide support to train prospective athletes; but it's not so much in developing countries. The Philippines' first ever Olympic gold medallist- Hydeline Diaz- won two years ago in Tokyo. But prior to that, she begged and implored to both the public and the government to provide financial support her aspirations to compete in the Olympics but she was shunned. It was only after she won gold, unexpectedly, that everyone tried to rub their shoulders with her to play as sycophants. This year, Filipino politicians and business elites have also been brown nosing themselves to Carlos Yulo after winning two gold medals.