Sydney Sweeney’s naked betting advert ‘sexualises’ women’s sport

Emily SmithMon, September 14, 2026 at 9:13 AM UTC

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Sydney Sweeney has been accused of setting back women in sport - Instagram

Sydney Sweeney has been accused of sexualising women in sport after appearing naked in a betting advert.

The Hollywood actress posed with a variety of sporting equipment for Novig, a sports-prediction market company, in a video which has nearly a million views in four days.

The Euphoria star has received a wave of criticism from female athletes who have accused the 29-year-old of setting back women in sport, in a new culture war furore.

The criticism was led by British sprint champion Amy Hunt, who stared directly down the camera after the women’s 200m final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on Sunday and said: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women’s sport looks like.

“Hard work, sweat, blood, tears. This is a beautiful evening.”

The advert shows Sweeney sitting topless on top of a basketball hoop, saying: “So they wanted to show just sports.”

After saying “sports” nine times while playing tennis, golf, and baseball in various states of undress, she adds: “You can’t trade this, I just look good here.”

“No betting on wars or deaths, and no politics,” Sweeney says. “Just you and your take on sports.”

It closes with her walking away, naked.

Responding to the advert, Ariarne Titmus, an Australian Olympic gold medal swimmer, said: “How do we live in a world where monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?”

She described the campaign as a “kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft” and to “every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity”.

“Sydney Sweeney, do better,” she added.

Gracie Kramer, an American gymnast, posted a montage of her training regime with the caption: “Idk [I don’t know] what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sports looks like.”

Her post prompted a number of athletes to copy the trend, with many high-profile women posting videos of their sport, while criticising the advert.

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Tilly Kearns, an Australian water polo silver medallist, posted a montage of her sport with the caption: “I absolutely f---ing hate Sydney Sweeney’s new sports ad.”

The Hollywood actress posed with a variety of sporting equipment for Novig - Instagram

Skye Nicolson, a world-champion boxer, said the advert made a “mockery” of women in sport, adding: “There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to using sex to sell ‘sport’.”

Sweeney’s fee for appearing in the advert has not been publicly disclosed.

The actress is not just the face of the campaign. She has joined the company as a strategic partner and equity holder, and owns a piece of the business she is promoting.

Bree Rizzo, an Australian track sprinter, also posted a video compilation of her training regime with the caption: “There’s so much more to women in sport than how they look.

“It’s about their strength, skill, dedication, resilience, confidence and everything they’re capable of achieving.”

Sweeney owns a piece of the business she is promoting - Instagram

But Sweeney appeared to hit back at the criticism by posting a series of images of prominent female – and male – athletes posing naked for magazine shoots.

They included tennis great Serena Williams, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey and women’s footballers Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird. Male American football players Rob Gronkowski, Myles Garrett and Jason Kelce also appeared nude.

This is not the first advert from the actress that has attracted controversy.

In 2025, Sweeney appeared in an American Eagle advert which was heavily criticised for using the language of eugenics.

The actress was also accused of playing into sexist stereotypes in the advert which paid tribute to her “great genes” while the camera zoomed in on her chest.

“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality, and even eye colour. My jeans are blue,” she said in the now-deleted video.

Months after the advert was released, Sweeney acknowledged the controversy, admitting her silence had “widened the divide”.

“I was honestly surprised by the reaction,” she said. “I’m against hate and divisiveness.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”