A wave of backlash from prominent female athletes has targeted a recent commercial for the betting platform Novig, featuring actor Sydney Sweeney. The advertisement, which garnered over 22 million views within its first 48 hours, depicts Sweeney in various states of undress obscured by sports equipment. While she tells viewers they can wager on “just sports,” she later appears topless on a pool table, stating, “You can’t trade this, I just look good here.”
British sprinter Amy Hunt, a quadruple European Championship gold medalist, emerged as a leading critic of the campaign. Following a fourth-place finish in the 200m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, Hunt addressed the narrative head-on, declaring, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like: 21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears.” Her commentary emphasized that the reality of professional competition—often involving grueling effort and physical discomfort—stands in stark contrast to the sexualized imagery presented in the ad.
Other elite competitors have joined the criticism. Olympic cycling gold medalist Sophie Capewell expressed a desire for a cultural shift where sexualized representation is not the default lens for viewing female athletes. In Australia, four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus voiced significant frustration, calling the commercial a “kick in the face” to those who define sports through dedication, unity, and excellence rather than physical commodification.
The discourse has been amplified by gymnast Gracie Kramer, whose social media post showcasing the intensity of her training regime drew over a million likes, serving as a counter-narrative to the advertisement. In an apparent response, Sweeney shared images of notable athletes, including Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoe, and Sue Bird, posing for magazine shoots, though she has not issued a formal statement addressing the specific grievances of the athletes.
Public relations strategist Mark Borkowski characterized the commercial as “cynical soft porn” designed for maximum reach through controversy. While noting that the provocative nature of the campaign has certainly succeeded in driving visibility for the fledgling platform, Borkowski questioned the long-term impact on Sweeney’s personal brand, noting that such associations can sometimes prove detrimental over time.
Defending the marketing strategy, Novig founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky argued that Sweeney’s involvement successfully placed his company at the center of the national conversation. He maintained that the content is aimed exclusively at the platform’s user base, which is restricted to individuals aged 21 and older. Furthermore, Fortinsky noted that the partnership was initiated by Sweeney, who played an active role in shaping the campaign’s direction.
This is not the first instance of a Sweeney-led marketing campaign sparking heated debate. Last year, an American Eagle advertisement faced intense scrutiny over its use of the term “genes,” with some observers drawing comparisons to eugenics. At the time, Sweeney stated she was unaware of the controversy due to her filming schedule and emphasized her commitment to avoiding divisive content, asserting her role is to bring people together. The report also notes that which was viewed more than 22 million times in the first two days of its release, Sweeney’s nude body is covered by footballs, basketballs, and other sports equipment, as she tells users they can bet on “just sports”, in the viral commercial for Novig. The report also notes that the fourth-fastest women’s 200m, and Hunt went on to reveal the painful realities she and other sports stars faced. “When you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty,” she said. “It’s not glamorous, that was a reference to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s winning time of 21.47 seconds. The report also notes that definitely, it’s not sexy all the time. The report also notes that my period started yesterday, so that’s not really ideal, and that’s not ever what you try to really plan for.”, even turning up to this championship. The report also notes that who has worked with everyone from Mikhail Gorbachev to Diego Maradona, said he felt the advert was “cynical soft porn”, but that the controversy would benefit Novig “given the number of eyeballs on it”, the public relationship consultant Mark Borkowski. The report also notes that the culture war argument gets you one thing: enormous reach.”, and the outrage.
