Sydney Sweeney found herself directly in the crosshairs of elite female athletes after starring in a provocative, stripped-down sports betting ad for Novig that featured the Euphoria actress posing unclothed alongside strategic athletic gear. The commercial quickly triggered a wave of pushback across the athletic world, with top figures openly criticizing the campaign for reducing female sports to a sexualized spectacle rather than celebrating genuine athletic achievement. Australian boxer Skye Nicolson called the spot an absolute disrespect to women who spend their entire lives breaking barriers, while British track star and two-time World Championship medalist Amy Hunt took the conversation to television to address the deeper, lasting impact on youth athletics.
The main issue lies in the ongoing battle for visibility and respect in women’s sports, an arena where female competitors have fought for decades to be judged purely on talent, speed, and raw power. Prominent athletes argue that turning sports equipment into props for a glamorous celebrity shoot completely undermines that progress. Instead of highlighting athletic capability, critics argue that the campaign leans heavily on outdated tropes that prioritize male gaze over genuine representation.
Speaking during the World Athletics Ultimate Championship event, Hunt emphasized that empowering young women means highlighting what their bodies are capable of doing, not how attractive they look while holding sports equipment. Pointing out alarming statistics showing that roughly 64 percent of girls quit sports before age 16, Hunt stressed that hyper-sexualized imagery creates unnecessary barriers for female participation. She noted that while professional athletes are actively pushing for safer, more respectful broadcast camera angles and customizable competition gear, campaigns like Sweeney’s pull the conversation backward.
Furthermore, sports commentators and social media users have pointed out the glaring irony of using a Hollywood sex symbol to front a sports-focused promotion. While mainstream marketing frequently relies on shock value to drive engagement and clicks, the athletic community insists that women’s sports should no longer serve as a backdrop for cheap titillation, especially when female leagues are experiencing unprecedented organic growth and record-breaking viewership worldwide.
Despite the mounting criticism from world-class competitors, Sweeney refused to back down or offer an apology. Instead, the Hollywood star doubled down on social media, posting behind-the-scenes photographs from the shoot showing her naked on basketball courts, tennis courts, and ice rinks with the cheeky caption, “Game day. Just sports.”
Sweeney may be playing by her own promotional rules, but when actual world-record holders call out your playbook, simply shouting “game day” isn’t going to clear the hurdle.
