Women athletes condemn 'sexualised' Sydney Sweeney commercial

Leading women athletes have condemned a sports betting commercial featuring actress Sydney Sweeney for sexualising women's sport. Sweeney, known for her role in the TV series Euphoria, is accused of objectifying women's bodies in the advertisement for US company Novig. The 29-year-old has an equity stake in the firm.

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ariarne Titmus expressed her fury on Instagram, stating that the commercial is a setback to every woman committed to her sport and showcasing the true spirit of teamwork, friendship, dedication, and unity. She questioned how society can tolerate sexualizing women's sports.

Several track and field athletes competing at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest last weekend voiced their discontent with Sweeney's commercial, deeming it a misleading portrayal of women in sport. British sprinter Amy Hunt criticized Sweeney in a BBC TV interview, emphasizing that women's sport is not glamorous or sexy all the time, and highlighted the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears involved.

The outrage surrounding the campaign parallels the controversy faced by American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney has great jeans campaign in 2025, which faced heavy criticism for seemingly employing eugenics language. Sweeney later acknowledged that her silence on the backlash had only widened the divide.