Sydney Sweeney Ad Backlash Sparks Misogynistic Abuse as Female Athletes Told To 'Go Back to the Kitchen'

Sydney Sweeney's controversial sports betting ad has drawn criticism extending beyond the campaign itself, with female athletes reporting sexist abuse after deciding to speak out. The Novig advert features Sweeney in a series of provocative poses with sports equipment while promoting the betting platform, prompting athletes to debate on whether women's sport is reduced to sexualised imagery instead of their authentic athletic ability.

As athletes posted videos and photographs highlighting their own achievements in sports, some said they were met with comments that dismiss women's sport and telling women to 'go back to the kitchen.' Cycling Weekly reported that female athletes received misogynistic remarks after challenging the ad, including comments questioning the value of women's sporting achievements.

Athletes Push Back Against the Ad

In the Novig ad that has since gone viral with over 22 million views just 48 hours after it was released, Sweeney promotes betting on 'just sports' while her bare figure is hidden behind sports equipment, including basketballs and footballs. She repeats the word 'sports' nine times before posing topless while on a pool table saying, 'You can't trade this. I just look good here.'

The campaign has drawn criticism from prominent athletes including Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus, British sprinter Amy Hunt, gymnast Gracie Kramer and Australian athletes from several other sports.

Their objections have centred on the message they believe the advertisement sends about women competing in sport, particularly when female athletes have spent years trying to gain recognition for their performance and professionalism, according to The Guardian.

Amy Hunt, a British sprinter, who finished fourth in the women's 200m final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday, running a season's best 22.10 seconds, has been among those to speak out. Hunt posted her response where she highlighted the physical demands of elite sport, writing: 'Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like: 21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening.'

'When you're a woman in sport, it's not pretty. It's not glamorous. It's not sexy all the time, definitely,' Hunt said.

Olympic Cycling gold medalist Sophie Capewell also weighed in on the issue centred on the ad. She took to social media to raise her concern, saying, 'Imagine a world where sexualised representation isn't the most popular way of seeing women in sport.'

Australian swimming star Ariarne Titmus described the ad as 'a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft,' adding, 'How do we live in a world where monetising a woman's body and sexualising women's sport is still a thing?'

In the US, gymnast Gracie Kramer also inspired hundreds of athletes to share footage of themselves competing alongside the message, 'this is what a woman in sport looks like,' in an Instagram post that has attracted more than a million likes.

Sweeney's Response

Amid the criticism, Sweeney shared images from ESPN's Body Issue featuring nude or partially nude athletes, including Serena Williams and Sue Bird. The apparent comparison has become part of the debate over whether nudity itself is the problem or whether critics object to the context in which a woman's body is being presented and commercialised.

Campaign supporters have argued that Sweeney is entitled to use her body and that professional athletes have also appeared in artistic nude photography. However, critics distinguish these projects from an advertisement for a sports betting platform.