Winning a gold medal doesn't pay the bills, and for a lot of former Olympians, the fall from the podium has been hard, fast, and painful, according to a detailed report from the New York Post.
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Athletes once cheered on by millions are now living in their cars, working bakery shifts, and yes, even turning to OnlyFans just to make ends meet.
Ryan Lochte, one of the most decorated swimmers in U.S. history, just sold off three of his golds for nearly $400K. He called them the "cherry on top" of his career. Translation: The cherry's been pawned.
It's not just Lochte. Greg Louganis sold his medals. So did figure skating icon Debi Thomas, who once had a Stanford degree and a medical license, and ended up in a bug-infested trailer.
Mary Lou Retton? Needed crowdfunding for hospital bills. Then got hit with a DUI. Rulon Gardner, the man who body-slammed a Russian legend in 2000, ended up bankrupt and now sells insurance.
And the next generation isn't doing much better.
Discus thrower Veronica Fraley couldn't pay rent until Flavor Flav and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian stepped in. Shot putter Jessica Ramsey works in a Memphis bakery. German bobsledder Lisa Buckwitz (Olympic gold in 2018) now says OnlyFans is the best thing that's happened to her career.
There's a pattern here. Olympic athletes train for years, miss out on education and career paths, then get tossed aside the moment the cameras stop rolling. No endorsements. No fallback. Just debt, depression, and fans who move on fast.
USA Track & Field Foundation CEO Tom Jackovic said it best: "It's always a struggle."
Sure is. Because when the spotlight fades, the medals don't come with a paycheck.
