June 18, 2023, 01:26 PM
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Due to a dispute between World Aquatics and Mexico’s head of national sports commission, Mexican aquatic athletes have stopped receiving monthly payments since January 2023, Associated Press (AP) reported.
As a result, local athletes have to seek ways to fund their preparations ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, according to Reuters.
Diego Balleza, 29, was one of those impacted by the funding cut and has taken to an alternative platform to fund his Olympics training.
He and his partner, Kevin Berlin Reyes, had come in fourth in the men’s 10-metre synchronised diving competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Creation of OnlyFans
The 10-metre diver recently announced the launch of his OnlyFans account on Twitter and quickly garnered attention on social media.
Hace falta otro saunita no?
— Diego Balleza OLY (@diegoballezaisa) May 30, 2023
¿Quien me acompaña? 🥵
-#sauna #fitness #onlyfan https://t.co/VnnZoGSsqW pic.twitter.com/ct7EVkmBic
Hot Sale un 40% para la suscripción.
— Diego Balleza OLY (@diegoballezaisa) June 3, 2023
Díganle a @CalvinKlein que estoy listo para la colab jeje 🧡🤗 #Only18 https://t.co/VnnZoGRUBo pic.twitter.com/W4odNLNqkz
OnlyFans is a content creation space where fans pay content creators for more exclusive and sometimes explicit photos and videos not available elsewhere.
Speaking to AP, Balleza said he started his venture into the platform as he was looking for a way to make income.
“I support my house and my mother, and I have bills to pay, and you can upload whatever you want in there, it’s a valid content.”
“I am happy that the people who are in my page have been very good and respectful, I hope they continue like this."
The diver charges a monthly fee of US$15 (S$20.11) for his content and also has quarterly packages priced at US$40.50 (S$54.28). An annual subscription costs US$135 (S$180.95).
He noted that though the money he has received from OnlyFans was volatile, it has “served [him] well so far”.
Balleza hoped that with the money earned from the platform, he would be able to replace his government scholarship of around 30,000 Mexican pesos (S$2,354), according to AP.
As of time of writing, his account has 141 photos, 26 videos and 16,600 fan interactions.
Other sources of funding
Balleza’s diving partner Berlin Reyes, also in a similar situation, came up with another way to find financial resources.
The 22-year-old had started a coffee brand named “Olimpiada Café”, or Olympic Coffee, with the assistance of his relatives.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s artistic swimming team resorted to selling their towels and swimsuits online to pay for their training, Reuters reported.
Top images via Instagram/@diegoballezaoficia
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