Sydney Sweeney has appeared to hit back at critics of her provocative sports betting campaign by sharing a series of images from ESPN's Body Issue featuring nude and partially nude athletes on her Instagram Stories. The 29-year-old actress posted the photos on Sunday, 13 September, just days after her Novig advert sparked a heated debate over nudity and the sexualisation of women's sport.
The images Sweeney shared included magazine covers and portraits of prominent athletes, such as tennis legend Serena Williams, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey, basketball stars Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, and tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. She also posted Body Issue images featuring male athletes, including Philadelphia Eagles players, former NFL star Rob Gronkowski, Myles Garrett and Karl-Anthony Towns. The posts did not come with any explicit explanation, but their timing led many observers to interpret them as a defiant response to the backlash against her Novig campaign.
The Novig 'Just Sports' Campaign and Its Controversy
The controversy centres on Novig's 'Just Sports' campaign, which launched earlier this month. The advert features Sweeney in little to no clothing as she mock-plays tennis, golf, baseball and ice hockey, posing with basketballs, footballs and a soccer ball while promoting the ability to trade on 'just sports.' At one point, she says, 'So they wanted to show just sports,' while perched topless on a basketball hoop. After repeating the word 'sports' nine times, she appears topless on a pool table before saying, 'You can't trade this, I just look good here.'
The campaign quickly drew criticism from female athletes and Olympians, who accused it of sexualising women's sport and undermining the achievements of female competitors. Australian Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus called the advert 'an absolute joke' and said she felt 'infuriated' by it. Titmus argued that sexualising women's sport detracts from the dedication, teamwork and excellence that female athletes bring to their disciplines. Hockeyroos goalkeeper Joc Bartram also criticised the campaign, saying there were other ways to attract attention without 'sexualising women's sport once again.'
Athletes Rally Against the Advert
The backlash spread beyond Australia, with athletes from various sports sharing their own training and competition footage to highlight women's sporting achievements. American gymnast Gracie Kramer was among the first to respond, posting a video that contrasted Sweeney's advert with images of women actually competing in sport. Other Australian athletes, including Lani Pallister, Bree Masters, Lauren Ryan and Liz Clay, also joined the online response, using their platforms to emphasise the seriousness and skill of women's sport.
Despite the criticism, the campaign has drawn support from some social media users, who defended Sweeney and the advert. Some argued that the actress was simply following a script and that the campaign was intended to be humorous rather than demeaning. Others pointed out that Sweeney has frequently embraced nudity in her acting roles and that the advert was clearly tongue-in-cheek.
Sweeney's Previous Explanation of the Campaign
Sweeney has not directly addressed the athletes' criticism in a new statement, but she previously explained the thinking behind the campaign. 'The campaign was about embracing a fun idea,' she said in a statement. 'The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports.' Novig has said its platform is focused on sports, rather than prediction markets covering topics such as politics, wars or deaths.
The latest Instagram posts have added another layer to a controversy that has quickly moved beyond the advert itself. Attention is now focused on whether Sweeney's use of famous nude athlete imagery was intended as a rebuttal to critics. By sharing images from ESPN's Body Issue, Sweeney may have been drawing a parallel between her own campaign and a long-standing tradition of athletes posing nude to celebrate their physiques and athleticism. The Body Issue, which ran annually from 2009 to 2019, featured dozens of athletes from various sports posing nude or semi-nude, and was often framed as a celebration of the human body in its most athletic form.
ESPN's Body Issue: A History of Athletic Nudity
ESPN's Body Issue was first published in 2009 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. It aimed to showcase the athletic form, with athletes from sports ranging from basketball and football to swimming and gymnastics posing without clothes. The issue was celebrated by some as a bold and empowering celebration of the human body, while others criticised it as exploitative. Athletes who appeared in the Body Issue often spoke about feeling empowered and proud of their physiques, and the magazine was praised for featuring diverse body types and sports.
Serena Williams, who appeared on the cover of the Body Issue in 2010, was one of many high-profile athletes to participate. Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe and Caroline Wozniacki also posed for the publication. The inclusion of male athletes such as Rob Gronkowski and Myles Garrett further broadened its appeal, and the issue became known for its striking photography and celebration of athletic dedication.
By posting these images, Sweeney may have been attempting to reframe the debate: if athletes posing nude for ESPN's Body Issue were celebrated for their athleticism, why should her own nude portrayal in a sports betting advert be condemned? However, critics of the advert argue that the context is fundamentally different. The Body Issue was about athletes choosing to celebrate their own bodies and athletic achievements, whereas the Novig advert features an actress who is not an athlete, using nudity to sell a betting product. They argue that the advert trivialises women's sport and reduces female athletes to sexual objects.
The Wider Debate Over Sexualisation in Sports Marketing
The controversy has reignited a broader debate about the sexualisation of women in sports marketing. Female athletes have long fought for recognition and respect in a male-dominated industry, and many feel that adverts like Novig's undermine their efforts. Titmus and Bartram are among a growing number of athletes who are using their platforms to call out sexism in sports media and marketing. Their responses have resonated with many fans, who have praised them for speaking out.
At the same time, the debate raises questions about the line between empowerment and objectification. Some argue that women should be free to express themselves however they choose, including through nudity, and that criticising Sweeney's advert is a form of slut-shaming. Others contend that the context of a betting advert, which is designed to sell a product, is inherently different from an athlete choosing to pose nude for a magazine.
Novig has not commented publicly on Sweeney's Instagram posts. The company has previously emphasised that its platform is focused exclusively on sports, aiming to differentiate itself from prediction markets that cover non-sports topics. The campaign was intended to be a humorous way to promote that focus, but the backlash suggests that many athletes and fans did not find it funny.
As the controversy continues to unfold, Sweeney's Instagram posts have ensured that the debate is far from over. Whether her action was a deliberate response or simply a coincidence, it has sparked a new conversation about the representation of women in sports and the ethics of using nudity in advertising. The actress has not commented further, and it remains to be seen whether Novig will address the criticism or adjust its campaign in response.
The timing of Sweeney's posts, coming just days after the athletes' backlash, suggests that she is aware of the criticism and may be attempting to make a point. By sharing images of celebrated athletes who have posed nude, she appears to be aligning herself with a tradition of athletic nudity that has been widely accepted and even praised. However, the debate over whether her advert crosses a line is likely to continue, as athletes and fans continue to push for more respectful and accurate representation of women's sport.
In the meantime, the athletes who spoke out have been praised for their courage and for using their voices to advocate for change. Their responses have highlighted the importance of respecting women's sport and the need for marketing campaigns that celebrate athleticism rather than sexualise it. The controversy serves as a reminder that the fight for gender equality in sports extends beyond the playing field and into the media and advertising industries.