Sydney Sweeney’s Novig ad sparks backlash from Australian Olympians over sexualisation of women’s sport
Consensus Summary
As the debate continues, Sweeney has yet to directly address the substance of the criticism, instead deflecting by comparing her ad to ESPN’s Body Issue. The athletes’ counter-campaign, featuring their own footage and messages like ‘This is what sport looks like,’ has gained traction, with figures from diverse sports—swimming, water polo, boxing—uniting against the ad. The Guardian’s Jane McManus suggests the ad reflects a ‘cynical’ approach to marketing, where outrage is leveraged to attract young male consumers. Meanwhile, the athletes’ responses underscore a broader cultural shift: as women’s sports gain recognition, the sexualisation of female athletes is increasingly seen as an affront to their hard-earned achievements. Whether this controversy will lead to lasting change in advertising—or simply become another footnote in Sweeney’s controversial career—remains to be seen.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Sydney Sweeney starred in a Novig sports prediction ad featuring her in minimal to no clothing with sports equipment covering her body, shot in Australia
- The ad includes Sweeney appearing topless on a basketball hoop, with footballs covering her breasts, and mock-playing sports like tennis, hockey, and baseball
- Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, called the ad ‘an absolute joke’ and ‘a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft’
- Sweeney is a shareholder and ‘strategic partner’ in Novig, as stated in company statements and interviews
- The ad was posted to Sweeney’s Instagram, where she has more than 25 million followers
- Sweeney previously faced controversy in 2025 for an American Eagle ad with the slogan ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’
- Olympic swimmer Daniel Kowalski, a medallist at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, criticised the ad, calling it ‘a joke’
- Sweeney responded to criticism by sharing images from ESPN’s Body Issue featuring nude athletes like Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The Guardian describes Sweeney’s facial expressions in the ad as resembling ‘70s graphic novel erotica’ and compares her style to an ‘80s Athena poster’
- The Guardian notes the ad’s ‘double entendre’ approach, referencing ‘spherical things’ and tennis shots that evoke ‘near-naked’ imagery
- The Guardian’s Jane McManus column frames the ad as part of a ‘cynical’ business model for prediction markets, suggesting the outrage benefits the company
- TheWest specifies that Sweeney is 29 years old and that the Novig ad was shot while she was filming Netflix’s upcoming live-action Gundam film in Australia
- TheWest highlights that Sweeney launched her lingerie line SYRN in February, which she promoted with revealing outfits
- SMH notes that the ad was ‘reportedly shot in Australia’ and that Sweeney’s previous controversy involved an ad ‘highlighting her “”’ (incomplete phrase in article)
- 7News mentions that Sweeney’s Novig ad was shot while she was in Australia filming Netflix’s live-action Gundam film
- 7News includes a quote from Sweeney about her lingerie line SYRN, stating she wants to ‘take back our power and fully free ourselves’
- TheAge explicitly states that the ad was ‘reportedly shot in Australia’ and that Sweeney’s previous controversy involved an ad ‘highlighting her “”’ (incomplete phrase in article)
- ABC notes that the ad has been viewed over 33 million times on Instagram and that Sweeney’s previous American Eagle ad was praised by then-US President Donald Trump
- ABC includes a quote from Skye Nicolson, an Australian Olympic boxer, who said the backlash was giving the company ‘exactly what they wanted’
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian and ABC describe the ad as ‘hyper-sexualised’ and ‘provocative,’ while 7News frames it as ‘a fun idea’ and ‘playful’ in Sweeney’s own words
- TheWest and 7News mention Sweeney’s age as 29, but no other source confirms this number
- The Guardian and ABC imply the ad is part of a broader pattern of Sweeney’s controversial endorsements, while TheWest and 7News focus more on her personal branding efforts like SYRN
Source Articles
‘A double entendre in every crevice’: what, beyond near-naked tennis, is Sydney Sweeney’s game?
With her new, semi-nude advert for sports site Novig, the actor cements her reputation as the anti-woke poster girl. But is it real – or just provocation with a soft porn gaze? Bear with me here, but I’m beginning to suspect Sydney Sweeney is a very fine actor. It’s a skill she has been recognised for in the past, of course, winning nominations for Emmys for Euphoria and The White Lotus, but I mean it in a deeper sense, related to her work in advertising rather than drama – can she do more than
Aussie athletes slam Sydney Sweeney’s naked Novig ad campaign: ‘Kick in the face to every woman’
Australian female athletes have slammed Sydney Sweeney for sexualising women in sport after appearing mostly naked in an ad campaign for a sports betting company.
‘Infuriated’: Australian Olympians slam Sydney Sweeney’s provocative new sports ad
Ariarne Titmus has led a chorus of Australian Olympians condemning Sydney Sweeney’s provocative new advertisement, calling it “an absolute joke”.
Sydney Sweeney under fire for ‘sexualising women’s sport’ in sports prediction ad
Actor appears naked in ad while mock playing various sports ‘A kick in the face,’ says Olympic champion swimmer Ariarne Titmus Olympic athletes have come out in force to condemn a sports betting advert featuring actor Sydney Sweeney in various states of undress, while showcasing the real skill, strength and beauty of women’s sport. The campaign, for US sports prediction market company Novig, depicts Sweeney in minimal to no clothing while she pretends to play several different sports. Continue r
Sydney Sweeney strips down for latest ad campaign shot in Australia
The US actress went completely nude for ‘a very simple and playful’ campaign.
‘Infuriated’: Australian Olympians slam Sydney Sweeney’s provocative new sports ad
Ariarne Titmus has led a chorus of Australian Olympians condemning Sydney Sweeney’s provocative new advertisement, calling it “an absolute joke”.
Ariarne Titmus among elite athletes dragging Sydney Sweeney betting ad
A slew of elite athletes take aim at Sydney Sweeney for setting back women in sport over an advertisement for a sports betting company featuring the actress mostly nude.
Sydney Sweeney’s prediction ad is cynical, unhealthy and reveals plenty about modern sports | Jane McManus
The actor’s latest promotion has stirred outrage but will no doubt be good for the prediction markets hoping to lure in young men Prediction markets are a cynical business. Many customers will lose money, and the real product may just be the delightful dopamine hit that comes in that brief window between placing a bet and its outcome – which is statistically more likely to be a disappointment than a victory. So the bettor has to think they are buying more than their own fleecing. Continue readin
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