Olympians slam Sydney Sweeney's betting ad for sexualizing women's sport

abc.net.au

Actress Sydney Sweeney's new sports betting advertisement, featuring her mostly nude, has drawn widespread condemnation from elite athletes who say it sexualizes and belittles women in sport. The ad has been viewed over 33 million times on Instagram. Australian Olympic swimmers Ariarne Titmus and Lani Pallister, Hockeyroos goalkeeper Joc Bartram, and boxer Skye Nicolson were among dozens of athletes criticizing the campaign. They argue it undermines decades of progress in recognizing female athletes for talent, not sexuality, with Titmus calling it "an absolute joke" and "a kick in the face." Sweeney responded by posting images from ESPN's Body issue, featuring nude elite athletes like Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey. This follows her 2025 American Eagle campaign, which drew backlash over eugenics allusions and was praised by President Donald Trump.


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