Sydney Sweeney has responded to backlash over her revealing Novig sports advert by sharing photographs of athletes and sporting legends who have posed nude.
The US actress appears naked in the campaign, with footballs and sporting equipment used to cover her body. The advert has prompted criticism from female athletes who accused it of sexualising women rather than celebrating their achievements in sport.
Australian water polo player Matilda “Tilly” Kearns, a two-time Olympian, was among those to speak out. Sharing footage of herself training, competing and receiving her Olympic silver medal, she wrote: “I absolutely f****** hate Sydney Sweeney’s new sports ad.”
In the caption, Kearns added: “Like what are we doing … so much worse than I imagined too.” She described the footage as “some real women sports content”.
American gymnast Gracie Kramer also posted a video of herself competing, writing: “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman is sports looks like.”
Kramer later said the issue was “so much bigger than Sydney Sweeney” and was not about shaming the actor. She said she wanted to remind people that generations of women had fought to be respected for their talent and accomplishments rather than judged on their bodies.
Sweeney’s campaign is for Novig, a sports prediction market company in which she is also an equity holder. It begins with the actress covering her chest with two footballs before showing her playing hockey, baseball and tennis.
“Thinking of sports? Prove it,” Sweeney says in the advert. She later adds: “Novig is just sports, so they wanted to show … just sports,” before the closing line: “No politics, just you, your takes and sports.”
In response to the criticism, Sweeney shared images of athletes including tennis champion Serena Williams, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey and basketball player Sue Bird, as well as male sportsmen who have posed nude.
Sweeney described the campaign as “a very simple and playful idea” intended to bring the concept of “just sports” to life. 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, humour and a playful edge.”
