“Stop Sexualizing Women in Sport”: Sydney Sweeney’s Nude Betting-App Ad Sparks Athlete Backlash — Again
Sydney Sweeney faces criticism from female athletes over her controversial Novig sports prediction ad. (Image Sweeney IG)
By Entertainment Desk
Less than 48 hours after posting, the ad for sports-prediction platform Novig had racked up more than 42 million views and lost Sweeney over 200,000 Instagram followers. For female Olympians and pro athletes, it landed as the latest chapter in a much older fight.
Mumbai, September 15, 2026 — Sydney Sweeney is at the center of a fresh advertising controversy, after a campaign for sports-prediction platform Novig showing her nude or minimally clothed while posing with footballs, tennis rackets, and other sporting equipment drew sharp criticism from female athletes around the world — many of whom say the ad sets back decades of work to be recognized for talent rather than appearance.
The roughly 60-second spot, timed to coincide with the start of the 2026 NFL season, shows Sweeney appearing fully or partially nude in some frames and wearing only underwear in others, with sports equipment — footballs, a tennis racket, a baseball bat, a basketball hoop — strategically positioned to obscure her body, according to Today.com.
In the ad, Sweeney says: “No betting on wars, or deaths and no politics. Just you, your takes and sports.” Sweeney, who joined Novig as a strategic partner and equity holder, shared the campaign to her own Instagram, where it had gathered 1.1 million likes, per Variety.
Reaction from women’s sports came fast and pointed. CNN reported Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer called the campaign “very damaging” for female athletes and young girls looking to get into sport.
Four-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Ariarne Titmus wrote on social media: “I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this,” adding that it represents “a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft.”
British former swimmer Lucy Davis put it more bluntly, in a post Variety reported was liked by actress Florence Pugh: “I don’t know wtf Sydney Sweeney was doing, but it’s 2026. Stop sexualizing women in sport.”
MS NOW reported the backlash extended into college athletics as well, with Mia Vallee, an NCAA springboard diver for the University of Miami, posting: “I absolutely hate Sydney Sweeney’s new ‘sports’ ad,” alongside footage of her own dive routine — part of what the outlet described as a broader wave of athletes and fitness influencers responding with videos highlighting their own athletic accomplishments rather than their appearance.
The core objection succinctly lies in athletes arguing that the ad’s “hypersexualized” nature “reinforces sexist stereotypes” and leans into “the male gaze,” at a moment several said sends a damaging message about what young women in sport should aspire to be recognized for.
Sweeney’s Response
Sweeney addressed the backlash directly rather than staying silent this time. Today.com reported she posted a statement describing the campaign as being “about embracing a fun idea,” adding: “The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humour and a playful edge.”
She went further in her defence, posting a series of ESPN Body Issue covers featuring nude professional athletes — including Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoe, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Caroline Wozniacki, and NFL players Rob Gronkowski and Jason Kelce — to her Instagram Stories, implicitly arguing that nudity in a sports context has a well-established precedent when framed as athletic celebration.
Not Her First Controversy — By a Wide Margin
This is the second major ad backlash Sweeney has faced within roughly a year. In summer 2025, Sweeney starred in a campaign for American Eagle branded “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” which drew accusations of invoking the language of eugenics after she said in one spot: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality, and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the wordplay, combined with Sweeney’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed appearance, carried uncomfortable echoes of genetic and racial messaging, sparking a prolonged social media firestorm.
Sweeney’s handling of that earlier controversy followed a somewhat different arc than this one. She initially had stayed largely silent as the backlash grew, before addressing it months later in a December 2025 interview with People, saying: “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.”
Notably, that campaign proved commercially successful for American Eagle regardless of the criticism, with the company’s sales reportedly climbing amid the controversy — a dynamic some commentators on the current Novig backlash have already noted echoes of, given the ad’s viral reach.
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