Sydney Sweeney is back in the headlines, this time over another controversy. The Hollywood actress best known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus is facing backlash from several athletes over a recent sports betting advertisement.
The campaign for US sports prediction company Novig shows Sweeney in minimal clothing while pretending to take part in different sports.
According to The Guardian, several Olympic athletes have criticised the campaign for sexualising women’s sport. They have also used the controversy to highlight the hard work, strength and achievements of female athletes.
Olympic athletes criticise sports ad
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus strongly criticised the campaign on social media.
Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus said she was “infuriated” after watching the advertisement.
Titmus said the campaign was disrespectful to women who spend years training and competing in sport. She also questioned why the sexualisation of women’s bodies was still being used to market sports.
British sprinter Amy Hunt also responded to the controversy
British sprinter Amy Hunt also called out Sweeney over the ad.
After finishing fourth in the 200m at the Ultimate Championships, Amy Hunt directly addressed Sweeney.
“This is what women in sport look like,” Hunt said, according to The Guardian.
Hunt referred to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s winning 200m time of 21.47 seconds. She highlighted the physical strength, training and sacrifices involved in reaching that level of competition.
She also said that being a woman in sport is not always about looking glamorous or attractive.
Athletes highlight their sporting journeys
Other female athletes joined in, sharing videos of their training and sporting careers.
Australian Olympic swimmer Lani Pallister posted footage showing her training, races and medals.
Sprinter Bree Rizzo also shared highlights from her career. Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns criticised the advertisement, while world champion boxer Skye Nicolson said the issue was about how women’s sport was being presented.
Nicolson pointed out that there is a difference between a woman looking attractive while doing sport and using sex to market sport.
The Australian Institute of Sport also shared content highlighting different areas of women’s sport, including archery, gymnastics, boxing and softball.
Sweeney is linked to Novig campaign
Some social media users argued that the criticism should be directed at Novig rather than Sweeney. However, The Guardian reported that Sweeney is more than just the face of the campaign.
According to a Novig statement cited by The Guardian, Sweeney has joined the company as a “strategic partner and equity holder”.
The controversy comes after Sweeney faced another advertising backlash in 2025 over American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” campaign.
Sydney Sweeney also made headlines over engagement rumours with Scooter Braun
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(800x284:802x286)/Sydney-Sweeney-and-Scooter-Braun-on-IG-050126-1-06d2089f68104446abc9699504b80ce6.jpg)
Some reports claim that Sweeney recently moved in with Braun.
Amid the latest controversy, an international report has also claimed that Sweeney has taken her relationship with music executive Scooter Braun to the next stage.
According to In Touch Weekly, Sweeney and Braun are reportedly engaged after dating for around a year.
However, the engagement claim has been attributed to sources and has not been independently confirmed by Sweeney or Braun.
Graphic Credit: Aayushi Jain.
Relationship with Scooter began in 2025
Sweeney and Braun reportedly began dating in June 2025 after meeting at Jeff Bezos’ wedding.
Braun recently shared a birthday tribute for Sweeney on Instagram. He described her as someone who had changed his life and praised their relationship.
He also wrote about their partnership, saying she made him smile more, laugh louder, and dream bigger.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/sydney-sweeney-1-ef8f5b8baf8047c7a551fa8c3491ce4a.jpg)
According to the international report, a source previously told People that the couple was in a committed and serious relationship.
For now, the reported engagement remains a claim from sources, while Sweeney continues to face public discussion over her involvement in the controversial sports advertising campaign.
Sydney Sweeney ended past relationship months before wedding
Sydney Sweeney was earlier in a relationship with businessman Jonathan Davino and ended it just two months before their planned wedding.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/CharleyGallayGettyImages-ecd84b4fe72d4203b1175820e46eddc1.jpg)
According to reports, the couple had been facing problems for some time, with their relationship described as “rocky”.
Sweeney, who had been engaged to Davino since 2022, reportedly decided that she no longer felt right about marrying him and called off the wedding.
Following their split, Sweeney attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding in Italy in June. The actor reportedly attracted considerable attention at the high-profile event, with several guests said to have shown interest in her.
NFL star Tom Brady was also reportedly among those who flirted with Sweeney at the wedding.
Did she get a ₹530 crore offer in Bollywood?
Sweeney was reportedly offered a Bollywood debut. According to reports, the 28-year-old star had been offered a huge deal worth over ₹530 crore by an Indian production company.
Sydney Sweeney has more ‘physical’ fan clubs in India than Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
What was the deal?
According to a report by The Sun, the contract reportedly included a £35 million (₹415 crore) acting fee and a £10 million (₹115 crore) sponsorship agreement. Producers were reportedly counting on Sweeney’s global popularity to attract international audiences and ensure the film’s success worldwide.
However, the production house behind the offer had not been officially named, and Sydney had not confirmed her involvement.
If Sweeney had accepted the deal, she could have become one of the biggest US stars to enter Indian cinema. At the time, Sweeney had also become one of the most talked-about women in Hollywood.
Notably, Sydney fan clubs began emerging in India around 2023, with physical chapters in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai. More clubs are now being set up in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad despite her limited mainstream popularity in India.
