Sydney Sweeney's latest sports campaign has landed her in the middle of a heated backlash, with female athletes accusing the advertisement of reducing women in sport to their bodies. The actress appears in a provocative sports-themed campaign for Novig, including a video commercial and a series of revealing images. However, several athletes argue that the campaign sends the wrong message about what women should be valued for.
The criticism is not about women embracing their sexuality. Instead, athletes say the problem is using sexualised imagery to market sport when women have spent decades fighting to be recognised for their strength, skill and achievements. What started as one gymnast's response has now turned into a wider protest.
Confirmed: Sydney Sweeney knows ball. pic.twitter.com/EXQ4PzVZsi
— Novig (@Novig) September 9, 2026
Gymnast Calls Out Sydney Sweeney
Former UCLA gymnast Gracie Kramer was among the first athletes to publicly challenge Sweeney's campaign. Kramer, a member of UCLA's 2018 NCAA championship-winning team and a two-time All-American in floor exercise, shared a video montage of herself competing at various events.
'Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing but this is what a woman in sports looks like,' she wrote.
Kramer later explained her frustration in an Instagram Story. She said female athletes had spent years battling sexualisation, body scrutiny and the fight to be valued for their talent. She argued that marketing women's sport through 'the male gaze' felt like a major step backwards.
'We should not have to take our clothes off to convince men that women belong in sports, or that we're only worth watching if we're showing enough skin,' the athlete stated.
Her message became even more pointed as she urged people to empathise with athletes who have faced objectification on the court, disrespect on the field and sexualisation in the media.
More Female Athletes Join the Backlash
Kramer's post quickly encouraged other female athletes to share their own criticism.
In an Instagram post, Ella Davis wrote: 'Sydney Sweeney's ad disrespects every woman who has fought so hard to be taken seriously in the sports industry.'
Mary M McCarthy similarly argued that women should want the next generation to be proud of their achievements, and not their appearance. She added: 'We do not need to sexualise women in sport.'
Mai-Brit Vaupel described the campaign as everything female athletes have been fighting against for years, urging the industry not to 'go backwards'.
Many more female athletes have since joined the backlash, sharing the same concern that women's sporting achievements should not be overshadowed by how they look.
The Campaign Behind the Controversy
The campaign promotes Novig, a US sports prediction market focused exclusively on sporting events. The company says its platform lets users trade on sports-related markets.
Sweeney appears in a series of provocative visuals involving different sporting props, including footballs, basketballs, hockey equipment and baseball gear. Novig has also described her as a strategic partner and equity holder, meaning her involvement goes beyond simply appearing in the advertisement.
However, the campaign has attracted attention for more than its business purpose. Sweeney has often made headlines for provocative fashion and advertising choices, making the Novig ad part of a familiar pattern that has drawn criticism online.
