Female athletes criticized Sydney Sweeney's nudity in a sports betting advertising campaign

A number of female athletes criticized an advertising campaign by a sports betting company featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, in which she appeared naked, reports UNN, citing Sky News.

In the controversial commercials for Novig, the 29-year-old star of the series "Euphoria" poses almost or entirely without clothing, covering herself with sports equipment placed in "strategic" locations.

The campaign sparked a wave of criticism from female athletes, who believe that it "sexualizes women’s sport."

However, Sweeney appears to be defending the advertisement in her Instagram Stories by posting archival photoshoots of legendary athletes who also posed naked.

Among those who voiced their disagreement with the advertisement was British sprinter Amy Hunt; she did so after finishing fourth in the 200-meter final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Sunday.

In an interview with BBC Sport after the race, she said: "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.

21.4 [seconds — the winning time of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden], muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears. It’s a great evening."

Hunt added: "Of course, over the past 24 hours we have all seen this Sydney Sweeney advertisement... you know, when you’re a woman in sport, it doesn’t always look pretty. It’s not glamorous. And it’s certainly not always sexy. There are difficult moments too. Even arriving at these championships... I started my period yesterday — it’s not particularly convenient, and it’s definitely not something you try to plan."

Australian swimmer and Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus also criticized the campaign, writing on Instagram: "I cannot express how outraged this makes me. It’s not only a slap in the face to every woman who has devoted her life to perfecting her craft, but also to every woman who loves sport for what it truly is: teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity... How can we live in a world where the monetization of women’s bodies and the sexualization of women’s sport are still practiced? I thought we had truly moved past this nonsense. What does this teach today’s youth — boys and girls? Sydney Sweeney, get a grip."

Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns wrote that she did not like the advertising campaign, while Australian boxer Skye Nicolson added: "There is a big difference between looking sexy through participating in sport and using sex to sell ‘sport.’"

"There is nothing wrong with looking good and playing sport, just as there is nothing wrong with highlighting your femininity while remaining a powerful athlete."

American gymnast Gracie Kramer shared a video of her performance, writing: "I don’t know what exactly Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sport looks like."

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After the wave of criticism, Sweeney posted several photographs of athletes posing naked in her Instagram Stories — among them tennis legend Serena Williams, former MMA fighter and Olympian Ronda Rousey, ex-basketball player Sue Bird, former soccer player Megan Rapinoe, and four-time NFL champion Rob Gronkowski.

The actress, known for her roles in the films "The Housemaid" and "Anyone But You," had previously attracted attention because of the "Great Jeans" advertisement. It sparked controversy on racial grounds because of a play on words: the English word *jeans* sounds like *genes*.

Some critics saw the wordplay as an allusion to eugenics — a discredited theory about the possibility of improving the human race through selective breeding — but American Eagle stated that the advertisement concerned exclusively the brand’s denim clothing.

Sweeney told the American publication People: "To be honest, I was surprised by such a reaction. I took part in the shoot because I love these jeans and this brand."

"I do not share the views that some people decided to associate with this campaign. Many people attributed motives to me and labeled me in ways that do not reflect reality."

"Everyone who knows me understands that I always strive to bring people together. I am against hatred and division."

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