Female athletes slam Sydney Sweeney's nude sports-betting ad

Actress Sydney Sweeney’s new nude and scantily clad advertising campaign for sports-prediction market Novig has sparked anger and disbelief among female athletes, who call the ads “hypersexualized” and damaging to women’s sports. Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer told CNN the campaign sets women’s sports backwards, while Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus called it “a kick in the face” to female athletes. Other athletes, including swimmer Lani Pallister and boxer Skye Nicholson, posted training videos to counter the imagery, showing what real sport looks like. Sweeney responded Sunday by posting photos from ESPN’s “Body Issue,” which featured athletes nude. This follows her controversial 2025 American Eagle campaign accused of promoting eugenics, which she later addressed in a GQ interview without apologizing. CNN has sought comment from Sweeney’s representatives and Novig.