Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Sydney Sweeney Sports Ad Sparks Backlash Over Sexualization
Sydney Sweeney appears in a Novig advertisement while wearing very little clothing and using sports equipment to cover herself.
Some athletes say the commercial makes women’s sports seem more about bodies than skill.
They say real athletes spend years training, competing and working hard.
Sweeney shared pictures of athletes who had posed nude in ESPN’s Body Issue, apparently to show that nudity can also celebrate bodies.
Many online commenters said those photos had a different purpose from the Novig advertisement.
Novig’s CEO defended the commercial and said the app is for adults aged 21 and older.
The debate is not mainly about whether Sweeney can choose what to do with her body.
It is about whether advertisers are using women’s bodies instead of showing their athletic abilities.
Critics point to campaigns such as Nike India’s “Da Da Ding” as an example of advertising that centers women athletes’ achievements.
Sydney Sweeney appears mostly naked in a Novig sports-prediction advertisement, using sports equipment to cover her body.
Female athletes including Ariarne Titmus, Amy Hunt and Gracie Kramer accused the campaign of sexualizing women’s sport and minimizing athletic achievement.
Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky defended the campaign, saying the platform is restricted to users aged 21 and older and that Sweeney helped develop its message.
Sweeney responded by sharing images from ESPN’s Body Issue featuring athletes who had posed nude or semi-nude, but online critics said the comparison ignored differences in intent.
The controversy has revived debates about sports advertising, including badminton dress rules, Adidas’s banned body-diversity campaign and Nike India’s athlete-focused “Da Da Ding” commercial.
- Who
- Sydney Sweeney, Novig, Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky, and female athletes including Ariarne Titmus, Amy Hunt and Gracie Kramer.
- What
- A provocative Novig advertisement featuring Sweeney has prompted criticism that it sexualizes women’s sport and trivializes athletic work.
- When
- The campaign drew backlash after its release; Amy Hunt commented after a race on Sunday, September 13, and Sweeney responded over the following weekend and Monday.
- Where
- The controversy spread online and involved athletes and commentators in the United States, Britain, Australia and elsewhere.
- Why
- Critics say the campaign makes sexuality and appearance more prominent than women’s sporting ability, while Novig defended its adult-targeted advertising.
Critics of the campaign
Defenders of the campaign
Representation of women’s sport
Critics of the campaign
Athletes and commentators argue that the advertisement reduces women’s sport to sexualized bodies and overlooks training, competition and achievement.
Defenders of the campaign
Novig and Sweeney’s response suggests that nudity and body-focused imagery can appear in sports-related media without automatically being harmful or inappropriate.
Meaning of nudity
Critics of the campaign
Critics say the key issue is the advertisement’s purpose: professional athletes’ nude or semi-nude images may celebrate their bodies or sport, while this campaign uses sexuality to promote a trading app.
Defenders of the campaign
Sweeney highlighted ESPN’s Body Issue images to argue that athletes have also posed nude or semi-nude in widely published sports features.
Commercial impact
Critics of the campaign
Critics describe the campaign as lazy or exploitative marketing that profits from women’s bodies and may undermine efforts to gain respect for women’s sport.
Defenders of the campaign
PR consultant Mark Borkowski said the backlash gives Novig substantial publicity, while Fortinsky said Sweeney’s ability to attract attention helped bring the company into public discussion.
- Advertiser
- Novig, described as a sports prediction market platform or sports trading app.
- Sweeney’s role
- Sweeney is described as a Novig equity holder and strategic partner who helped craft the campaign’s message.
- Athlete criticism
- Ariarne Titmus called the advertisement a “kick in the face” to women who have dedicated their lives to developing their athletic skills.
- Novig’s defense
- CEO Jacob Fortinsky said the platform is restricted to users aged 21 and older and defended Sweeney’s involvement.
- Sweeney’s response
- Sweeney shared images from ESPN’s Body Issue featuring athletes who had posed nude or semi-nude.
- Earlier sports controversy
- The Badminton World Federation abandoned a 2011 proposal for compulsory skirts or dresses for women players after opposition.
- Advertising comparisons
- The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority banned Adidas’s 2022 untargeted advertisement showing a grid of naked breasts, while Nike India’s “Da Da Ding” featured women athletes performing sports.
