Sydney Sweeney Faces Heat From Female Athletes Over Controversial ‘Just Sports’ Betting Campaign
Actress Sydney Sweeney and sports trading platform Novig are facing widespread backlash from prominent female athletes, including four-time Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus, over a campaign depicting Sweeney nude behind sports equipment.
Actor Sydney Sweeney is facing widespread backlash from prominent female athletes and Olympic champions following her latest campaign for sports trading and prediction platform Novig. ‘Euphoria Should Be Shown in Every High School’: Sharon Stone Reveals Why She Loves Zendaya-Sydney Sweeney’s Teen Drama Series.
The advertisement depicts the Euphoria star posing naked while using various items of equipment, including basketballs, footballs, hockey pads, and baseball bats, to cover herself while repeatedly delivering a script centred around sports. The campaign, which frames itself as a tongue-in-cheek play on the word "sports," has drawn sharp criticism from female athletes who argue it regresses decades of progress in women's sports.
Female Athletes Push Back Against Sydney Sweeney's Campaign Concept
The criticism has been led by prominent sports figures, including four-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ariarne Titmus, who expressed her frustration with the messaging online. Titmus publicly called the advertisement "a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft," adding that it continues an outdated practice of sexualising female athletics rather than celebrating skill, teamwork, and achievement.
Sydney Sweeney x Novig
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Other prominent female athletes echoed these concerns. World champion boxer Skye Nicolson noted a clear line between an athlete embracing her femininity and a commercial campaign using sex to sell sports. Water polo silver medalist Tilly Kearns and former gymnast Gracie Kramer also publicly criticised the portrayal, with several athletes launching counter-campaigns showing real footage of their training regimes, competitions, and athletic achievements.
Sydney Sweeney and Novig Respond to the Controversy
Sweeney, who serves not only as the spokesperson but also as an equity holder and strategic partner in Novig, defended the project upon its release. In an initial statement, she described the concept as a playful, lighthearted attempt to "cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports," adding that the commercial aimed to deliver that message with "confidence, humor, and a playful edge."
As criticism mounted over the weekend, Sweeney posted a series of images on her Instagram Stories. Without directly mentioning the controversy, she shared several iconic cover photos from ESPN’s Body Issue featuring professional athletes such as Serena Williams, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Ronda Rousey, implicitly pointing to a precedent of athletes posing nude in sports media.
Sydney Sweeney's Instagram Stories
A Pattern of Marketing Controversies
This is not the first time a commercial featuring Sweeney has drawn public debate. Last year, her campaign with American Eagle, which relied on a play on words regarding genetics and denim, faced criticism for its framing, prompting the brand to clarify its messaging. Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Jeans Ad Goes Viral, Sparks Reactions Online With Her ‘Great Jeans’ AE Campaign (See Pics and Videos).
For Novig, a platform restricted to users aged 21 and older, the controversy has placed the newly launched sports market app directly at the centre of a broader cultural conversation surrounding gender representation, sports marketing, and the line between humour and commodification in modern advertising.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 14, 2026 02:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
