Athletes Accuse Sydney Sweeney of Sexualizing Women's Sports

A recent advertising campaign for a betting company, featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, has ignited a wave of outrage among numerous female athletes. They accuse the campaign of sexualizing women's sports. Sweeney, known for her role in the series Euphoria, appears in the ad scantily clad, simulating various sports.

The controversy has sparked a strong reaction on social media, with many sportswomen sharing videos of their training and competitions as a counterpoint to the image presented in the advertisement. Former Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus was among the first to voice her displeasure.

"I can't describe the anger I feel seeing this. It's not just a slap in the face to all women who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their craft, but to all women who enjoy sports for what it truly is: teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence... I thought this kind of 'absurd' marketing was a thing of the past."

American gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a video with a direct message to Sydney Sweeney: "This is what a woman in sports looks like." This initiative was quickly followed by other athletes. Triathlete Jenna Gwinn reinforced the sentiment, stating that "a woman's place in the sports industry is as an athlete, reporter, coach... Not sexualizing bodies for a sports betting ad aimed at men. Women belong in the sports industry without being sexualized."

World boxing champion Skye Nicolson also criticized the campaign's approach. "Stop sexualizing women in sports," she urged, adding that there's "a big difference between looking 'sexy' because you play sports and using sex to sell 'sports'." For Nicolson, the campaign is "disrespectful to athletes who dedicate their lives to sports and to the women who have broken barriers for generations."

Other voices joined the chorus of criticism. Lani Pallister, an Australian swimmer and Paris 2024 gold medalist, shared images of her training with the caption: "I don't know what Sydney thinks about sports, but this is what sports looks like." Tilly Kearns, a water polo player and silver medalist at the same Games, was more direct: "I absolutely hate the new Sydney Sweeney sports ad."

Mexican gymnast Natalia Escalera deemed the advertisement "sincerely outrageous" and a "huge step backward." "To see women's sports once again being commercialized through the male gaze [...] We shouldn't have to take off our clothes to convince men that women belong in sports," she lamented.

In response to the controversy, Sydney Sweeney used her social media to share a series of magazine covers and reports where renowned athletes, such as Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Megan Rapinoe, and Myles Garrett, have posed nude.