Female athletes accuse Sydney Sweeney ad of sexualizing women in sports

Female athletes have been vocal in their criticism of a recent advertising campaign featuring American actress Sydney Sweeney, claiming it sexualizes women in sports. The ad for sports prediction platform Novig depicts Sweeney in scant clothing, with sports equipment obscuring her body. Female athletes took to social media to express their outrage, with four-time Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus stating she felt "infuriated" upon watching the ad.

British sprinter Amy Hunt commented on the matter post-race, emphasizing that women in sport should reflect "muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears." Former U.S. gymnast Gracie Kramer called the ad "infuriating," recalling her experience competing in a sport where women have been objectified. Gracie shared images of female athletes training, captioned: "What a woman in sports looks like."

Chinese-German rugby player Sofie Fella argued that the ad disrespects female athletes by perpetuating societal beauty ideals, stating that the ad is "disrespectful to every female athlete in the world." Novig and Sweeney's publicist have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the campaign.