American actress Sydney Sweeney is facing backlash from Olympic and other athletes, who have accused her of degrading and sexualizing women’s sports by appearing in a controversial ad for a sports prediction company. In Novig’s viral commercial, which was viewed more than 22 million times in the first two days of its release, Sweeney’s naked body is covered in soccer balls, basketballs and other sports equipment, as she tells users they can bet on “sports only.” After saying “sports” nine times, he appears topless on a pool table, before saying, “You can’t change this, I just look good here.” The announcement has sparked a storm of protests led by British sprinter Amy Hunt, who won four gold medals at the European Championships last month. After finishing fourth in the 200 meters at the World Ultimate Athletics Championships on Sunday night, Hunt said: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women look like in sport: 21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful night.” Sports stars faced off. “When you’re a woman in sports, it’s not pretty,” she said. “It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy all the time, definitely. “There are some low moments. Even when I attended this championships, my period started yesterday, so that’s not really ideal, and that’s never really what you try to plan for.” British Olympic cycling gold medalist Sophie Capewell was also deeply critical of the announcement. “Imagine a world where sexualized representation is not the most popular way of viewing women in sport,” Capewell said on social media. In Australia, there was also widespread fury at four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus in the lead. “I can’t describe it. “How furious I feel when I see this,” she wrote. “It is not only a kick in the face for every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her art, but also for every woman who enjoys sport for what it really is: teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity. Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus said the advertising campaign was ‘a kick in the face’. Photograph: François-Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images “How do we live in a world where the monetization of a woman’s body and the sexualization of women’s sport still exists?” Hundreds of athletes were inspired by American gymnast Gracie Kramer, who posted images of her competing under the message “this is what a woman in sport looks like” in an Instagram post that received more than a million likes. Allow Instagram content? This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before uploading anything as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click “Allow and continue” “Sweeney, who has starred in several hit television series and films, including Euphoria, The White Lotus and The. Maid, perhaps one day you will regret your decision. “Sweeney will make a lot of money in a short period of time,” Borkowski said. “But often it’s about how the brand sustains itself over the years, not in the first bloom. And this kind of promotion can backfire on people.” The announcement has been defended by Jacob Fortinsky, founder and CEO of Novig, which launched last month. “Sydney is great at captivating audiences and being the center of attention,” he said. “In a sense, it forces us to enter the national discourse.” Fortinsky also rejected criticism about the adult nature of the content, noting that Novig is restricted to users 21 and older. He added that Sweeney had approached the company about a joint venture and helped craft his message. This isn’t the first time an ad featuring Sweeney has sparked controversy. Last year, American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign used a play on “jeans” and “genes,” including references to the blue-eyed actor’s inherited traits, sparking a culture war, and some said it invoked eugenics. Several months after the controversy broke out, Sweeney said he had not been aware of it while he was filming Euphoria. “Anyone who knows me knows that I always try to bring people together,” he said. “I am against hate and division.”
