Athletes criticise Sydney Sweeney's naked sports betting ad campaign

A raft of female athletes have criticised Sydney Sweeney's nude ad campaign for a sports betting company.

The controversial adverts for Novig feature the Euphoria actress, 29, in little to no clothing posing with carefully placed sporting equipment.

The campaign has received pushback from several female athletes, who believe it is "sexualising women's sport".

However, Sweeney appears to be defending the adverts via her Instagram stories by sharing historical photoshoots featuring sporting greats similarly naked.

British sprinter Amy Hunt was among those who expressed opposition to the adverts when she finished fourth in the 200m final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.

In a post-race interview with BBC Sport, she said: "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.

"21.4 [seconds, the winning time of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden], muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears. This is a beautiful evening."

Hunt added: "Obviously we've seen in the last 24 hours everything about the Sydney Sweeney ad, you know, and when you're a woman in sport, it's not pretty.

"It's not glamorous. It's not sexy all the time, definitely.

"There's some low moments. Even turning up to this championship, my period started yesterday, so that's not really ideal, and that's not ever what you try to really plan for."

Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus also criticised the campaign, writing on Instagram: "I can't describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this.

"Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who had dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is - teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellent, unity...

"How do we live in a world where monetising a women's body and sexualising women's sport is still a thing?

"I thought we were genuinely moving past this b*******. What is this teaching the young men and women of today? Sydney Sweeney, do better."

Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns wrote that she hated the campaign, with Australian boxer Skye Nicolson adding: "There's a big difference between looking 'sexy' because you do sport compared to use sex to sell 'sport'.

"There is nothing wrong with looking good and doing sport and there's nothing wrong with embracing your femininity while also being a badass athlete."

American gymnast Gracie Kramer shared a video of herself performing a routine, writing: "Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sports looks like."

Following the backlash, Sweeney shared several photos of athletes posing nude on her Instagram stories - including tennis legend Serena Williams, ex-MMA fighter and Olympian Ronda Rousey, ex-basketball player Sue Bird and former footballer Megan Rapinoe, and four-time NFL champion Rob Gronkowski.

The actress, who has starred in The Housemaid and Anyone But You, previously came under scrutiny following the launch of a "Great Jeans" advert that sparked a debate over race because of the use of "jeans" as a play on "genes".

Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod to eugenics, the discredited theory that humans could be improved through selective breeding, but American Eagle has said the advert refers only to the company's denim jeans.

Sweeney told US publication People: "I was honestly surprised by the reaction. I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand.

"I don't support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true.

"Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always trying to bring people together. I'm against hate and divisiveness."

(c) Sky News 2026: Athletes criticise Sydney Sweeney's naked sports betting ad campaign