Female athletes slam Sydney Sweeney for sexualizing female athletes

A controversial sports betting advertisement featuring American actress Sydney Sweeney has drawn widespread condemnation from female athletes, who accuse the campaign of sexualizing women’s sport.

The backlash was sparked by American gymnast Gracie Kramer, who posted her training montage captioned: “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what women in sport look like.”

Her post has been liked nearly a million times and inspired athletes across sports to share their own struggle.

Following her post, several other female athletes joined the trend. Four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus said she was “infuriated” by the ad. She wrote: “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 monetizing a woman’s body and sexualizing women’s sports is still a thing?” she added.

British sprinter Amy Hunt also joined the campaign, addressing Sweeney directly after finishing fourth in the 200m at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. Muscles, hard work, blood, sweat, tears.”

American world champion boxer Skye Nicolson said the criticism was about making a “mockery” of women in sport, adding: “There’s a big difference between looking sexy because you do sport compared to using se* to sell sport.”

Sweeney, who has joined Novig as a strategic partner and equity holder, appeared to respond by posting images of nu*e athletes, including Serena Williams, seemingly suggesting hypocrisy. However, she has not commented directly.