A promotional campaign for the sports prediction market Novig featuring American actress Sydney Sweeney has sparked an international backlash from prominent female athletes. In the commercial, Sweeney appears nude with her body covered by footballs, basketballs, hockey equipment, and other sporting gear while telling users they can bet on just sports,
according to The Guardian. The viral commercial was viewed more than 22 million times within its first two days of release.
Athletes Criticize Sydney Sweeney Over Novig Advert
Female Olympians and other competitors criticized the campaign for sexualizing women in sport and reducing athletes to their physical appearance rather than their athletic achievements. Four-time Australian Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus described the advertisement on Instagram as a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft.
Australian world champion boxer Skye Nicolson added that there is a significant difference between looking attractive because of participating in athletics and using sex to sell ‘sport’.
British Olympic cycling gold medallist Sophie Capewell questioned on social media how sexualized representation remains the most popular way of viewing women in athletics.
Viral Social Media Response and Athlete Counter-Trend
The controversy inspired a widespread counter-trend across social media platforms, with hundreds of athletes posting footage of themselves training and competing. Former UCLA gymnast Gracie Kramer initiated the movement by sharing a training montage captioned with the message, I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what women in sport look like.
Kramer told BBC World Service’s Newshour that she aimed to uplift women and remind audiences that objectifying advertisements do not define female athletes.
Other competitors who joined the online response included:
- Amy Hunt: British sprinter who referenced the advert after finishing fourth in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, stating:
Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like: 21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears.
- Tilly Kearns: Australian water polo star who criticized the commercial on social media and shared action footage from the pool highlighting team camaraderie.
- Lani Pallister: Olympic gold medalist swimmer who shared training and competition clips with the message,
Don’t know what Sydney thinks sport looks like, but THIS is what sport looks like.
- Bree Rizzo: Australian sprinter who shared track career highlights emphasizing that women in sport are defined by strength, skill, resilience, and capability.
Company Defense and Sweeney Response
Novig founder and chief executive Jacob Fortinsky defended the marketing campaign, stating that Sweeney is skilled at captivating audiences and that the advertisement successfully drove national discourse. Fortinsky also noted that the platform restricts users to those aged 21 and older. According to The Guardian, Sweeney approached the company about an equity partnership and actively participated in shaping the campaign’s message from the beginning.
As criticism spread online, Sweeney appeared to respond by sharing a series of images on Instagram Stories featuring prominent athletes posing nude for past magazine shoots, including Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoe, and Sue Bird. Public relationship consultant Mark Borkowski noted that while the promotion generated significant attention and immediate earnings for Sweeney, such controversial campaigns can carry long-term brand risks.
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