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Sophie Cunningham, a WNBA player, discusses on her podcast why some female athletes are upset with actress Sydney Sweeney for appearing naked in a gambling advertisement. Cunningham argues that the ad targets men who gamble and has no bearing on women’s sports, despite some athletes’ concerns about it being disrespectful to their efforts. She notes that Sweeney came up with the concept herself and emphasizes that the ad does not intend to undermine female athletes' achievements.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Female athletes criticized Sydney Sweeney's ad for Novig, which featured her posing nude with sports equipment. British sprinter Amy Hunt addressed the ad after finishing fourth in the 200 meters at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, saying "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like: muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears." Four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus wrote on Instagram that she was infuriated by the ad. Former U.S. gymnast Gracie Kramer said she had spent her life competing in a sport where female athletes are oversexualized and reduced to their bodies. The ads sparked widespread backlash from female athletes who claimed it sexualizes women in sports, with some posting images of nude athletes training hard as role models for young people and highlighting the importance of focusing on what an athlete's body can do rather than its appearance. Sweeney later shared photos of nude athletes on her Instagram Stories, including Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey, without addressing the criticism directly.
Written for “Sydney Sweeney Ad Backlash” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 22 other(s) covering the same event.
After a full week of women athletes fuming at Sydney Sweeney for, apparently, setting women's sports back decades with her naked gambling ad, Sophie Cunningham has set the record straight.
asserted
Cunningham → fume → record
And, to the surprise of approximately nobody, the WNBA's most sane player offered up the most sane take of this entire, silly ordeal.
asserted
player → offer → ordeal
"Why are girls mad?" Cunningham asked on her newly revamped, "No Hesitation" podcast.
asserted
Cunningham → ask → podcast
"That is literally what she does.
asserted
she → do → what
Of course, that’s going to draw attention.
asserted
that → go → attention
"Do I agree with it?
asserted
I → agree → it
Morally, I think it’s kind of weird, but each to their own.
asserted
it → think → own
She just doesn't miss.
asserted
She → miss → ?
Look, Cunningham's right.
asserted
Cunningham → look → ?
This is what Sweeney does.
asserted
Sweeney → do → what
She likes to take her clothes off, if you haven't noticed.
asserted
you → like → clothes
In fact, the whole ad campaign was her idea, according to Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky!
uncertain
campaign → accord → Fortinsky
Sweeney literally came up with the whole thing.
asserted
Sweeney → come → thing
"It really was Sydney who was driving a lot of the visuals and the messaging," he said during a panel earlier this week.
asserted
he → drive → panel
I think it's a huge component of our platform.
asserted
it → think → platform
We never intended to portray female sports."
Correct.
asserted
We → intend → sports
This ad had nothing to do with women's sports.
asserted
ad → have → sports
Sweeney was catering to one very specific audience, as her and new podcast partner, Drew Hanlen, pointed out.
asserted
her → cater → audience
Drew, who wouldn't stop talking, figured around 75% of sports bettors are men.
asserted
% → stop → bettors
I think that's way off.
asserted
that → think → ?
I'd put it closer to 90%.
asserted
I → put → %
Regardless, that's who the ad was for — and it worked!
asserted
it → work → who
"I can understand when you first see that ad that like it could kind of deflate women, because it’s like we’ve worked so hard to get a little bit of respect around here," Cunningham continued.
uncertain
Cunningham → understand → respect
"But when you really think about it, it’s like, screw it, let that girl do her thing.
asserted
girl → think → thing
This has nothing to do with us.
asserted
This → have → us
"At the end of the day, I’m really loving seeing all these girls who are powerful, strong, showing young girls what it looks like to be an athlete.
asserted
it → love → what
I don’t think the ad was coming for women in sports."
asserted
ad → think → sports
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