Australian Olympians lead global athlete backlash against Novig sports betting campaign

Australian Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus has joined a growing international movement of female athletes condemning a sports prediction market advertisement they say misrepresents women in sport.

Titmus said she was infuriated by the Novig campaign, which features actress Sydney Sweeney half-naked and strategically covered by sporting equipment, including sitting naked on top of a basketball hoop.

British sprinter Amy Hunt delivered what has become a rallying cry for the backlash, stating: "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like".

Female athletes and Olympians have labelled the advertisement "infuriating" and "a kick in the face to every woman".

The advertisement for the US sports prediction market has been widely criticised for sexualising women's sports and trivialising the work female athletes put in to reach the pinnacle of their professions.

The backlash has seen Olympians and female athletes including Hunt and Titmus criticise the campaign, in which Sweeney appeared wearing minimal to no clothing and posing with various sports equipment.

Sweeney became embroiled in controversy over an American Eagle campaign a year ago, and her latest Novig work has sparked fresh backlash.