Sydney Sweeney ad sparks fury as female athletes hit back over sexualisation
Female athletes are criticizing a new advertising campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney for sexualizing women in sports. Athletes argue the ad undermines the hard work and athletic achievements of women by focusing on physical appearance.
Why it matters
The controversy reflects a broader cultural debate regarding the representation of female athletes and the commercialization of women's sports.
An advertising campaign starring American actor Sydney Sweeney has drawn sharp criticism from female athletes, who have accused the campaign of sexualising women and undermining the way female athletes are represented in sport.The controversy centres on an ad for sports prediction market platform Novig, in which Sweeney appears wearing little or no clothing. Footballs and other sports equipment are strategically positioned to cover parts of her body.The campaign has prompted a wave of criticism on social media, with several female athletes arguing that the imagery reinforces the sexualisation of women rather than highlighting athletic ability, strength and achievement.Ariarne Titmus questions sexualisation of women's sportFour-time Olympic swimming gold medallist Ariarne Titmus was among those to voice her anger over the campaign."I can't describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this," Titmus wrote on Instagram.
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