Sydney Sweeney’s latest sports betting campaign has sparked a wave of criticism from female athletes, including Olympic champions who say the ad crosses a line by sexualizing women in sport.
The advertisement is for Novig, a sports prediction market company, and features Sweeney posing with different pieces of sports equipment while wearing little or no clothing. The campaign has quickly attracted millions of views online.
Several prominent athletes have spoken out against the campaign. Four-time Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus said she was extremely upset by the ad and argued that it undermines the hard work and achievements of women who have dedicated their lives to athletics.
Other athletes, including British sprinter Amy Hunt, Olympic cyclist Sophie Capewell, Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns and gymnast Gracie Kramer, also criticized the campaign. Some shared images or videos of themselves competing to contrast the advertisement's focus on appearance with the skill, training and discipline involved in real sport.
The controversy centers on the way the advertisement presents Sweeney as the face of sports while using a highly sexualized style. Critics argue that the campaign reinforces an outdated image of women in athletics at a time when female sports are receiving greater recognition for performance and achievement.
Sweeney has appeared to respond to some of the criticism by sharing photos from ESPN’s Body Issue featuring athletes such as Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey and Megan Rapinoe. Her response suggested that female athletes have previously chosen to pose nude or in revealing images without their sporting achievements being erased.
Novig has defended the campaign and described its approach as humorous and playful. The company has also pointed to the attention the advertisement has generated, which has brought substantial visibility to the relatively new sports-betting brand.
The debate has now expanded beyond Sweeney herself to a broader discussion about how women and women’s sports are represented in advertising. Supporters of the campaign argue that women should be free to use their appearance as part of entertainment and marketing, while critics say the ad sends the wrong message about female athletes.
For now, the campaign remains online and has become one of the most widely discussed sports advertisements of the week. The backlash shows just how differently athletes and advertisers can view the use of sexuality in promoting women and sport.