Kiwi opens brothel to fund TaeKwonDo campaign

NZ taekwondo representative Logan Campbell is hoping his 'gentleman's club' will get him to the London Olympics. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A New Zealand taekwondo athlete has opened a brothel to help fund his bid to compete at the 2012 London Olympics, local media reported Sunday.

Logan Campbell, 23, told the Sunday Star-Times newspaper he hoped his Auckland "gentleman's club," which provided escort services, would help him raise about $300,000 toward his London Games campaign.

Campbell, who finished in the top 16 in the featherweight division at last year's Beijing Olympics, said he spent around $150,000 competing in international events leading up to the games.

Most of the money had been provided by his parents, he said. His father, Max, an auctioneer, had worked two jobs to support his son's Olympic quest.

Campbell told the newspaper his desire to avoid being a burden on his parents led him to open the brothel with business partner Hugo Phillips, 20. He said he had introduced several of his female employees to his mother who "realized they were just normal people supporting kids and stuff."

Taekwondo New Zealand funding manager John Schofield said the governing body of the sport in the country would have to consider whether Campbell was suitable for international selection.

"Selection takes into account not just performance but also the athlete's ability to serve as an example to the youth of the country," Schofield said.

- AP