Sydney Sweeney loses more than 200,000 Instagram followers after her naked betting advert was accused of 'sexualising women's sport'

Sydney Sweeney has lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers after she was accused of sexualising women's sport by posing naked in a betting advert. The Euphoria actress, 29, has sparked backlash after the release of her promotional video for bookmaker Novig in which she uses various pieces of sports equipment to cover herself up. Last Wednesday Sweeney shared the ad on Instagram - where it has racked up 1.1 million likes so far. But in the three days after the commercial dropped, Sweeney's followers on her own Instagram account have dropped. They first went up by 50,000 but on Sunday, she had lost 136,848.By Monday, another 68,000 had unfollowed her, according to data from social-media analytics firm Social Blade. That said, the followers Sweeney lost in that time frame represent less than 1% of her more than 25 million followers. Sydney Sweeney has lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers after she was accused of sexualising women's sport by posing naked in a betting advert The advert has drawn widespread condemnation from across the world of women's sport, in particular from female Olympians.British sprinter Amy Hunt – who became the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single European Championships earlier this year – used her post-race interview at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship to criticise the advert.After finishing fourth in her 200m race, the 23-year-old said: 'It was incredible to be part of such an incredible race. Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. 21.4 [seconds, the winning time of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden], muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears. This is a beautiful evening.' Former Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, a four-time gold medallist, has also weighed in, saying on social media: 'I can't describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this. 'Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who had dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity.'How do we live in a world where monetising a women's body and sexualising women's sport is still a thing?' Sweeney said in a statement last week about the ad: 'The campaign was about embracing a fun idea.''The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge.' Novig founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky revealed that Sweeney, who holds an equity stake in the company, had pushed to appear nude in the campaign. The Euphoria actress, 29, has sparked backlash after the the release of her promotional video for bookmaker Novig in which she used various pieces of sports equipment to cover herself up The Euphoria actress was reportedly drawn to the platform because it focuses strictly on sports predictions, while other platforms allow users to make predictions on a broader range of topics.'She said, 'I'm uncomfortable with other platforms that have markets on what colour underwear I'm going to wear',' Mr Fortinsky recalled in an interview with Front Office Sports.He added: 'Sydney is great at captivating audiences and being the centre of attention.'In some sense, it forces us into the national discourse.'Sweeney has doubled down on her stance in the wake of the criticism, sharing a series of Instagram Stories that highlight female athletes who have appeared nude.The actress posted photos of Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe and Caroline Wozniacki posing for magazines.She added that some male athletes have also previously posed nude.It's not the first time an advertising campaign featuring Sweeney has sparked fierce backlash. Last year she starred in a controversial American Eagle jeans commercial which some deemed racist due to a pun linking 'jeans' and 'genes'.The label's campaign featured the tagline: 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.''Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour... my genes are blue,' she said in an accompanying video.In the fallout, critics of the advert said it promoted eugenics, while US President Donald Trump showed his support for the actress and the brand.Sweeney told GQ that she found it 'surreal' that the scandal grew so big as to attract attention from the White House.She said: 'I did a jean ad... I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans.'All I wear are jeans. I'm literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.' Critics accused the brand of echoing eugenicist language around 'good genes' and 'genetic superiority', claiming it appealed to Right-wing and white-nationalist groups online.In August, American Eagle defended the campaign, insisting it 'always was about the jeans – her jeans, her story.'