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The backlash to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial sports betting ad hasn’t slowed down, as female Olympic athletes joined the fray with a barrage of social media reactions.
“I wasn’t going to share this as I didn’t want to give this any more attention. But, I can’t keep my mouth shut,” Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus wrote via her Instagram Story on Saturday, September 12. “I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this.”
Titmus, 26, continued, “Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity…How do we live in a world where monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?”
Sweeney, 29, debuted her ad campaign with Novig last week, posing nude and using only sports equipment to cover up. Critics quickly weighed in, claiming the ads are inappropriate, with one Instagram commenter saying Sweeney is “setting women back 100 years.”
American gymnast Gracie Kramer also reacted, sharing a video of herself competing, and adding the text, “Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sports looks like.”
Australian sprinter Bree Rizzo chimed in via Instagram, writing, “There’s so much more to women in sport than how they look. It’s about their strength, skill, dedication, resilience, confidence and everything they’re capable of achieving.”
British fitness influencer Lucy Davis shared a similar sentiment, writing via Instagram, “I don’t know wtf Sydney Sweeney was doing, but it’s 2026. Stop sexualizing women in sport.”
Sweeney seemingly addressed the backlash over the weekend, sharing an image from her campaign via her Instagram Story. She then followed it with a number of slides showing cover photos of various ESPN Body Issues, highlighting naked athletes including Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, Karl-Anthony Towns and more.
Australian boxer Skye Nicolson pointed out what she believes is the difference between Sweeney’s campaign and the ESPN images she shared.
“There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to using sex to sell ‘sport’,” Nicolson, 31, wrote via her Instagram story. “There is nothing wrong with looking good and doing sport and there’s nothing wrong with embracing your femininity while also being a badass athlete.”
Sweeney explained the concept behind the campaign in a statement shared by Variety on Wednesday, September 9.
“The campaign was about embracing a fun idea,” she said. “The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge.”
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