According to the Associated Press, female athletes have criticized a sports-prediction advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney, arguing that its sexualized presentation undermines women in sport.
The campaign for Novig has spread widely online, prompting responses from Olympians and other elite athletes.
The Guardian independently reported a “global backlash” led by female athletes. ABC News Australia also confirmed the criticism and described the ad as “hyper-sexualised.”
Echotitbits take: The controversy is now bigger than a celebrity-advertising story because it touches sports marketing, representation and the fast-growing prediction-market business. The backlash is well documented; the commercial effect on Novig will be more measurable than social-media outrage alone.
Source: ESPN — https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/49943513/sydney-sweeney-ad-criticized-sexualizing-women-sports, September 14, 2026
Photo Credit: HartFord
