Alexis Ohanian criticizes Sydney Sweeney amid sports betting ad controversy

Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and founder of the women's track and field league Athlos, has criticized actress Sydney Sweeney following a controversy involving a sports betting advertisement. Ohanian expressed frustration with Sweeney’s recent advertisement for the brand Novig, which featured the actress in various states of undress. He noted that the campaign appeared designed to evoke a response and argued that such marketing takes attention away from “amazing, actual women athletes.” The tension escalated after Sweeney responded to criticism of the ad by posting an image of Serena Williams from an ESPN ‘Body Issue’ photoshoot to her Instagram story.

Speaking at the international debut of Athlos, Ohanian also shared insights into his family life and his commitment to women's sports. He revealed that the primary rule for his daughters, Olympia and Adira, is to simply do their best in whatever career path they choose. Ohanian emphasized his goal of treating his investments in women's sports as serious business ventures to provide a professional foundation for the next generation of female athletes.