Australian athletes criticize betting ad featuring Sydney Sweeney
In Australia, athletes and Olympians have joined criticism of an advertisement by a betting company featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. In the video, Sweeney appears partially nude while imitating tennis, golf, baseball and hockey, and also holds balls used in several sports. The athletes said the campaign sexualizes women’s sport and diminishes female athletes’ achievements, ABC News Australia reports.
Reaction from athletes
American gymnast Gracie Kramer was among the first to respond to the advertisement with an Instagram video. She wrote that she wanted to show what a woman in sport looks like, after which athletes from different countries joined the trend.
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) also published a video featuring athletes set to the same music used in the advertisement. Four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus called the ad “an absolute joke” and said it insults women who have dedicated their lives to sporting excellence.
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Accusations of sexualization
Titmus also questioned why the sexualization of women and the monetization of women’s bodies are still used in advertising. Swimmer Lani Pallister said she had no words after watching the video, while Hockeyroos goalkeeper Jock Bartram called the campaign out of touch at a time when women’s sport is increasingly recognized for athletes’ talent and skills.
Australian Olympians Bri Masters, Lauren Ryan and Liz Clay, as well as Olympic water polo silver medalist Tilly Kearns, also joined the criticism. Australian boxer and WBC bantamweight champion Skye Nicolson said the backlash could benefit the company, but urged businesses to stop sexualizing women in sport.
Apparently in response to the criticism, Sweeney posted on Instagram Stories a collection of photographs of nude elite athletes from ESPN’s Body Issue special edition. They included tennis player Serena Williams, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, NFL player Rob Gronkowski and basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns.
