‘Desperate For Attention’: Actress Sydney Sweeney Faces Backlash Over BOLD Sports Ad As Female Athletes Speak Out

Actress Sydney Sweeney has faced backlash over her latest sports-themed advertisement for Novig, a sports prediction platform. The actress appears nude or minimally clothed in the campaign while using sports equipment to cover herself. The advertisement has drawn criticism from several female athletes and netizens, who have accused the campaign of sexualising women in sport.

The campaign, titled “Just Sports”, features Sweeney posing with equipment associated with different sports, including football, basketball, tennis, hockey and baseball. The advertisement promotes Novig’s focus exclusively on sports predictions, with the platform stressing that it does not offer markets on politics, wars or deaths. Sweeney is also an equity partner and strategic partner in Novig and was involved in the creative process behind the campaign.

As the advertisement went viral, several social media users criticised its concept and questioned why Sweeney was shown nude in a sports campaign. Some accused the advertisement of using women’s bodies to attract attention and drive engagement, while others argued that it reduced women’s involvement in sport to their appearance.

Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus was among the athletes who criticised the campaign. Calling the advertisement “infuriating”, Titmus argued that it undermined women who have dedicated their lives to sport. She questioned how society could still be “monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport” in this manner.

Several other female athletes also joined the criticism, with some sharing videos highlighting the strength, dedication and achievements of women in sport. The backlash has consequently sparked a wider debate about the portrayal of female athletes and the use of women’s bodies in sports marketing.

Sydney Sweeney hits back at trolls?

Amid the criticism, Sweeney appeared to respond indirectly rather than addressing the backlash in a written statement. She shared images from ESPN Magazine’s Body Issue featuring athletes posing nude, including prominent sports personalities. Her Instagram Stories came shortly after the criticism surrounding the Novig campaign and were widely interpreted as a response to those questioning her decision to appear nude in a sports-related advertisement.

However, the comparison has itself sparked debate online, with critics pointing out that ESPN’s Body Issue traditionally presents athletes’ bodies in the context of celebrating athleticism, strength and physical achievement, whereas Sweeney’s images were part of a commercial campaign for a sports prediction platform.