Sydney Sweeney's nude ad for sports betting app Novig has caused significant backlash from female athletes worldwide. The actress, who is an equity holder in Novig, appears almost naked in the campaign, advocating for betting solely on sports rather than political or social issues. This has led to criticism over representation and body image, with many athletes posting their own achievements to counter Sweeney's portrayal. Videos and images showing athletic accomplishments of real women have circulated widely, challenging Novig’s and Sweeney’s depiction of female athletes.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Amy Hunt, a British sprinter who won four gold medals at the European Athletics Championships, criticized Sydney Sweeney's ad for Novig as sexualizing women’s sports. During an interview on Good Morning Britain, Hunt emphasized that showcasing what female athletes' bodies can do is more important than their appearance. She noted the high percentage (64%) of young girls dropping out of exercise and sport before age 16, urging to avoid placing barriers in their way.
Sweeney's ad features her partially naked with sports equipment covering parts of her body, which drew strong backlash from female athletes like Ariarne Titmus, Gracie Kramer, and Sofie Fella. These athletes described the advertisement as disrespectful and oversexualizing women’s sport. Hunt addressed Sweeney directly after a race in Budapest, stating "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," referring to muscle, hard work, sweat, blood, and tears.
Sweeney responded to the backlash by sharing photos of nude athletes on her Instagram Stories, including Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Megan Rapinoe, Caroline Wozniacki, and Rob Gronkowski. Despite this, critics continued to argue that the ad undermines efforts to empower young girls in sports. Hunt clarified that the criticism was not personal but aimed at the advertisement’s intention of sexualizing women's sport rather than celebrating their athletic achievements.
Written for “Sydney Sweeney Ad Backlash” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 13 other(s) covering the same event.
Another advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney causing controversy?
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advertisement → feature → controversy
The actress has found herself in hot water again, after promoting sports betting app Novig in an online ad campaign last Wednesday.
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actress → find → campaign
The advertisement has sparked outrage from around the globe, with female athletes clapping back against the commercial’s messaging.
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athletes → spark → messaging
The Novig ad sees the Euphoria actress almost nude, covered only by her hands, hair or various sports equipment, while stating that the app allows users to bet on “just sports.”
“No betting on wars or deaths and no politics,” she says at one point.
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she → see → point
The video has more than 48 million views on the 29-year-old’s Instagram Reels, and another 1.3 million views on Novig’s YouTube channel.
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video → have → channel
In a press release on Wednesday, Sweeney – who is an equity holder and strategic partner in the company – said the campaign was “embracing a fun idea.”
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campaign → say → idea
“The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports.
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concept → cut → sports
The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humour and a playful edge.”
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campaign → bring → confidence
The chief executive officer and co-founder of Novig, Jacob Fortinsky, said Sweeney’s appearance in the ad “helped bring that message to life in a way that’s impossible to ignore.”
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that → say → way
Novig declined to respond to The Globe’s request for comment.
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Novig → decline → comment
Sweeney has also not directly responded to the criticism.
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Sweeney → respond → criticism
The campaign has sparked intense social media blowback, including from professional female athletes.
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campaign → spark → athletes
Much of the backlash has been directed at Sweeney and Novig’s representation of women in sports and body image, with various posts addressing Sweeney directly.
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posts → direct → Sweeney
Hundreds of response videos and photo carousels from athletes have circulated showing “what a women in sports looks like.”
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women → show → sports
One popular post format showcases the user’s career highlights while British pop star Dua Lipa’s live performance of her song Training Season plays in the background.
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performance → showcase → background
Former NCAA gymnast Gracie Kramer initiated the trend on Saturday, writing “idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a women in sports looks like.”
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women → initiate → sports
In a separate Instagram post, Kramer said that it was “SO much more than sports.”
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it → say → sports
“This is so much bigger than a moment or a trend,” she wrote.
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she → write → moment
“It’s about inspiring real change in the way women are seen, valued, and represented and reminding the next generation of powerful girls that there is no limit to who they can become.”
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they → ’ → girls
Canadian high diver Molly Carlson posted on Instagram how the public should “focus less on how women LOOK and more on what they can DO.”
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they → post → what
“There were so many moments I wanted to walk away because I didn’t think I looked like the athlete I was ‘supposed’ to be. …
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I → be → athlete
Young girls deserve to grow up seeing female athletes celebrated for their strength, courage, talent and what their bodies are capable of.”
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bodies → deserve → what
Olympic gold medallists including British cyclist Sophie Capewell and Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus have also responded to the Sweeney ad and Novig’s sexualization of women.
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medallists → include → women
“Imagine a world where sexualised representation isn’t the most popular way of seeing women in sport,” Capewell wrote on Instagram.
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Capewell → imagine → Instagram
British sprinter Amy Hunt, who finished fourth in the 200-metre final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on Sunday, directly called out Sweeney after the race.
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who → finish → race
“Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like,” Hunt said post-race to BBC Sport.
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Hunt → look → Sport
Hasn’t Sweeney gotten backlash from advertisements before?
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Sweeney → get → advertisements
This is Sweeney’s second advertisement in two years that has prompted widespread reaction.
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that → prompt → reaction
The first – for American Eagle in the summer of 2025 – centred on blond-haired, blue-eyed Sweeney having great “jeans,” a play on “genes.”
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Sweeney → centre → genes
The campaign faced social-media criticism that it promoted eugenics, but it also helped the company’s shares rise 77 per cent since July, 2025.
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shares → face → July
Revenue jumped 37 per cent in the six months through January, compared with a 24-per-cent rise in the same period a year earlier.
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Revenue → jump → period
“If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic,” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters last year.
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Trump → register → reporters
Sweeney didn’t initially respond to the criticism, but noted in a November, 2025, video with GQ magazine that “when I have an issue I want to speak about, people will hear.”
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people → respond → issue
The Aporia
