The campaign, released the week before, shows Sweeney mostly or fully nude, covering herself with sports equipment like footballs, tennis rackets, and a basketball, while explaining that Novig sticks to “just sports” with no betting on wars, deaths, or politics. Novig’s Instagram reel of the ad drew 37 million views in four days, but it also triggered strong criticism from current and former athletes across several sports.
Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, spoke out against the advertisement and questioned why sexualizing a woman’s body is still treated as acceptable marketing.
Titmus commented:
“I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this. 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?”
Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer told CNN the ad was “very damaging” for female athletes and young girls looking to get into sport. Water polo Olympian Tilly Kearns and retired gymnast Gracie Kramer also criticized the campaign on social media, along with many other current and former athletes who responded by sharing highlight reels of their own careers.
British sprinter Amy Hunt stated during an interview with the BBC:
“Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears.”
Sweeney addressed the criticism in a statement on Novig’s website, saying the campaign was built around a playful, confident idea meant to keep the focus on sport. She also posted a series of ESPN Body Issue covers to her Instagram stories, appearing to push back on the backlash; however, neither Sweeney nor Novig has issued a direct response to the athletes’ criticism.
