Sydney Sweeney breaks silence amid backlash over ‘mostly naked’ sports betting app advert

Sydney Sweeney, known for her role in the hit series Euphoria, is once again facing controversy. This time, it revolves around a sports betting app advertisement that has sparked widespread backlash. The advertisement, released by US sports prediction market company Novig, features Sweeney mostly naked, with her body adorned with various sports balls and uniforms while pretending to play sports like basketball, football, pool, hockey, and tennis.

The ad has been widely criticized for objectifying women's sports and sexualizing female bodies. Many athletes and sports stars, including Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Caroline Wozniacki, Myles Garrett, Rob Gronkowski, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jason Kelce, have expressed their disgust on social media. They argue that the advertisement undermines the true spirit of sports, which is teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, and unity.

Retired Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus and Australian Olympic swimmer Lani Pallister also took to Instagram to denounce the ad, urging people not to confuse a woman's dedication to sports with objectification. Professional boxer Skye Nicolson further explained that the issue lies in reducing women to their bodies rather than valuing their talent, strength, and achievements.

The controversy has not only drawn criticism from the sports community but also from netizens who find the ad offensive and disrespectful. The backlash has been so significant that it has even prompted Sweeney to indirectly respond via her Instagram stories, sharing photos of various sports stars posing for similar photoshoots. Despite her indirect reaction, the controversy continues to dominate headlines and social media discussions.