Sydney Sweeney Goes Nude for Sports Betting App Novig, Faces Backlash Again After American Eagle 'Genes' Campaign

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SYDNEY SWEENEY is back in the headlines with a new advertisement that has created another controversy around her. The Euphoria actor is not new to such controversies. Earlier, she faced backlash for the 2025 American Eagle campaign for a denim brand, where they played on the pun between “jeans” and “genes” with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” The latest controversy is related to an advertisement for sports prediction market company Novig.

On Wednesday, September 9, 2026, a series of photos and videos were released in which Sydney Sweeney can be seen naked or barely wearing any clothes. She is seen posing with sports equipment and pretending to play several sports, hiding parts of her body with American footballs, a tennis racket or a baseball bat. In one photo, she is seen sitting on a basketball completely naked, with her hair covering part of her body. The campaign, however, did not go well with many female athletes and others who objected to the hypersexualised advertisement.

See Also: From Hollywood to Bollywood: Sydney Sweeney to Make Bollywood Debut with ₹530 Crore Paycheck ?

Backlash Over Sydney Sweeney Sports Ad

After the post garnered millions of views on social media, many people questioned why Sydney Sweeney's body was being used to promote a sports trading platform. Olympic athletes have also come forward to condemn the sports betting advertisement.

First, retired Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus condemned the campaign, calling it “bullshit” marketing and saying that she thought these were things of the past. The Guardian quoted her Instagram story, where she wrote, “I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this.”

She further wrote that the advertisement is a kick in the face of every woman who decided to dedicate her life to sports or enjoys playing sports. Sports is about teamwork, friendship and dedication, and she added, “How do we live in a world where monetising a women’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?”

The ad was condemned by many athletes who also used this as a way to showcase the excellence of female athletes in sports.

While speaking to the BBC, British sprinter and four-time European champion Amy Hunt said directly to the actor, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.” She made this statement after finishing fourth in the 200m at athletics’ new showpiece event, the Ultimate Championships, on the evening of Sunday, September 13, 2026.

After that, the trend continued, with many other female athletes sharing their training, races, and medals to explain what women in sports look like.

Many online users also criticized the advertisement. One woman who identified herself as a former tennis athlete said, “As a former athlete and a woman who has personally experienced sexualized comments, I’m genuinely disgusted and deeply disappointed by this campaign. We’ve spent years fighting to be seen and respected for our talent, strength, and achievements-not reduced to our bodies…”

Another said, “Thank you for undoing everything women try to build in sports :)”

See Also: Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle’s ‘Great Jeans’ Campaign Sparks Controversy Over Genes, Race, and Marketing Missteps

Sydney Sweeney's Response to Novig Ad Backlash

While Sydney Sweeney did not respond directly to the controversy or people's reactions, she appeared to respond indirectly by sharing stories of former athletes who had participated in similar photoshoots.

The actress shared a series of eight images in which athletes posed for ESPN magazine’s “Body Issue.” She first shared an image of tennis legend Serena Williams, followed by UFC champion Ronda Rousey, basketball star Sue Bird, footballer Megan Rapinoe and tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, among other athletes.

While she did not point to anything directly and only shared these images on her Instagram story, she appeared to suggest that she is not the first person to participate in such a photoshoot and that famous athletes have also posed with minimal or no clothing, similar to her Novig campaign.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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