Sydney Sweeney’s nude sports betting ad sparks backlash from female Olympians, with athletes accusing the campaign of sexualizing women’s sport.
Sydney Sweeney has faced a wave of criticism from female athletes and Olympians after appearing nude in a new sports betting advertisement for Novig, with British sprint star Amy Hunt among those accusing the campaign of sexualizing women’s sport.
The 29-year-old actress appears in the promotional video for the sports betting company while using various pieces of sporting equipment to cover herself.
The campaign was designed to attract attention to Novig, a platform focused on sports predictions, but quickly became the subject of debate among athletes and fans.
Several prominent women in sport have argued that the advertisement reinforces the idea that female bodies are more marketable than athletic achievements, while others have defended Sweeney and said the campaign has nevertheless generated attention for women in sports.
Amy Hunt Calls Out Sydney Sweeney Advertisement
British sprinter Amy Hunt became one of the most prominent athletes to criticize the campaign.
The 24-year-old spoke about the controversy following her 200-meter race at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
After finishing fourth, Hunt used her post-race interview to contrast Sweeney’s glamorous advertisement with the physical reality of competing as a professional female athlete.
“This is what women in sport look like,” Hunt said, highlighting the winning time of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden before pointing toward the physical effort behind elite competition.
Hunt emphasized that professional sport is not always glamorous or attractive.
“When you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty. It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy all the time, definitely,” she said.
The British sprinter also discussed some of the less visible challenges female athletes experience, explaining that her period had started the day before the championship.
Her comments quickly became part of the wider debate surrounding the Sydney Sweeney sports betting advertisement and how women are represented in athletic campaigns.
Ariarne Titmus Calls Campaign a “Kick in the Face”
Australian Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus was also highly critical of the advertisement.
Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, said she was deeply frustrated by what she viewed as the sexualization of female athletes.
She argued that women dedicate years of their lives to developing their athletic abilities and that sports should be celebrated for qualities including teamwork, dedication, friendship and excellence.
Her criticism reflected a broader concern among female athletes that marketing campaigns can place too much emphasis on appearance rather than performance.
The controversy has also highlighted the longstanding debate over the way female athletes are portrayed in advertising, particularly when their bodies become central to a campaign rather than their sporting achievements.
Gracie Kramer and Other Athletes Join Backlash
American gymnast Gracie Kramer also responded to the campaign on social media, posting the message, “This is what a woman in sport looks like.”
Her post received widespread engagement and prompted other female athletes to share their own reactions.
American diver Kassidy Cook was among those who joined the conversation, while Australian water polo player Matilda Kearns shared a montage of female athletes training and competing.
Kearns expressed strong opposition to the Sweeney campaign and used footage of women’s water polo to highlight what she described as authentic women’s sports content.
Australian world champion boxer Skye Nicolson also criticized the advertisement, drawing a distinction between female athletes embracing their appearance and brands using sexuality as a way to sell products.
Nicolson argued that there is nothing wrong with female athletes looking attractive or embracing femininity, but said there is an important difference between celebrating an athlete’s appearance and using sexuality to market sports.
British sprinter Hannah Williams similarly shared footage of female runners while criticizing the campaign and pointing to the continuing struggle women face for recognition and respect in traditionally male-dominated sporting environments.
Why Sydney Sweeney Appeared in the Campaign
Despite the backlash, Novig founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky has defended the campaign and revealed that Sweeney herself reportedly pushed to appear nude in the advertisement.
Sweeney also reportedly owns an equity stake in the company.
According to Fortinsky, the actress was attracted to Novig because the platform focuses specifically on sports predictions, unlike other prediction markets that cover a much broader range of subjects.
He recalled Sweeney expressing discomfort with platforms that allow users to make predictions about personal subjects, including what celebrities might wear.
Fortinsky also praised Sweeney’s ability to attract attention and generate conversation, something that the campaign has certainly accomplished.
Sydney Sweeney Responds to the Criticism
Sweeney has since responded to criticism by sharing examples of female athletes who have previously posed nude or appeared in revealing magazine shoots.
Her Instagram Stories included images of major sporting figures such as Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe and Caroline Wozniacki.
Sweeney also pointed out that male athletes have participated in similar photoshoots, appearing to challenge the argument that her advertisement was uniquely problematic because it featured a woman posing nude.
The response has added another layer to the controversy, with supporters arguing that female athletes should have the freedom to decide how they present their bodies.
Sweeney Has Faced Advertising Controversy Before
The Novig campaign is not the first Sydney Sweeney advertisement to generate intense public debate.
In 2025, Sweeney appeared in a controversial American Eagle jeans campaign built around a play on the words “jeans” and “genes.”
The campaign drew criticism from people who argued that its messaging echoed ideas associated with eugenics and genetic superiority.
Sweeney later told GQ that the scale of the controversy surprised her, particularly after the campaign attracted attention from political figures and the White House.
American Eagle subsequently defended the advertisement, maintaining that the campaign was ultimately about jeans and Sweeney’s personal style.
Now, the Novig advertisement has placed Sweeney at the center of another major advertising debate.
While critics argue that the campaign sexualizes women in sport, supporters believe Sweeney has simply used her image and platform in a provocative way.
The controversy has also opened a wider conversation about how female athletes are marketed, whether sexuality and athleticism can coexist in advertising, and where the line should be drawn between empowerment and objectification.
For now, the Sydney Sweeney sports betting advertisement continues to divide audiences, with athletes on both sides of the debate making their voices heard.