Serena Williams' millionaire husband lashes out at Sydney Sweeney after nude Instagram shade
Serena Williams’ Reddit-founding husband, Alexis Ohanian, has hit back at Sydney Sweeney, after the actress shaded his wife with a targeted Instagram story.
Sweeney recently made headlines for appearing nude in a sports betting advertisement, and responded to criticism by posting an image of Williams, and other athletes, also posing nude to her Instagram story.
READ NEXT: Aryna Sabalenka handed harsh US Open punishment after X-rated outburst during Elena Rybakina defeat
Sydney Sweeney slammed by Serena Williams’ husband after posting nude Instagram story of tennis GOAT
Ohanian, the founder of Athlos, a professional, female-only track and field meeting series, criticised Sweeney’s nude advertisement on Wednesday, claiming it has taken attention away from “amazing, actual women athletes.”
His wife, Williams, was caught in the crossfire of that advertisement’s fall-out, after Sweeney replied to criticism by posting a nude photoshoot from the tennis star for ESPN’s ‘Body Issue’ magazine on her Instagram story.
Advert
Sweeney’s advertisement for betting brand Novig, which showcased the American in various states of undress, pretending to play different sports, has been widely slammed since its release.
Four-time Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus branded the marketing as “bulls**t” and questioned: “How do we live in a world where monetising a woman's body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?”
Ohanian was speaking ahead of Athlos’ London debut — with the likes of Keely Hodgkinson and Gabby Thomas present, in sell-out attendance — when he addressed Sweeney’s advertisement.
"What's so weird is Sydney Sweeney is not an athlete," Ohanian told ESPN. "The whole thing clearly was designed to evoke a response.
"It's frustrating that we're spending this much time talking about Sydney Sweeney and not talking about the amazing actual women athletes."
Ohanian is a father-of-two with Williams, and has invested significantly in women’s sports. In 2020, he co-founded Angel City FC, an NWSL women’s football club, and is also a minority shareholder in Chelsea Women.
The Reddit co-founder invoked Amy Hunt as a “great example” of actual women athletes. The English sprinter told the BBC’s camera: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like,” after competing in the World Athletics Ultimate Championship last Sunday.
"I love seeing these athletes hijack this troll to turn it into something that is able to support or at least promote themselves, who are actual women athletes,” said Ohanian. “Amy Hunt’s a great example.”
READ NEXT: Why Alex Eala will get the last laugh over Iva Jovic after heartbreaking US Open loss
Alexis Ohanian explains false equivalence between Serena Williams and Sydney Sweeney’s nude photoshoots
The Athlos founder then explained how his wife’s nude photoshoot with ESPN differed from that of Sweeney for betting brand Novig.
"The whole point of the Body Issue is that these are athletes, men and women, who, one, are electing to do this themselves," he explained.
"[And] two, it's celebrating the fact that to be a professional athlete, especially a great one, you are giving your mind and body to a craft for decades.
"Your body is a résumé of how much effort you're putting into that craft,” he continued. “Yes, these are attractive athletes, but they're athletes showing off their work. And no one is outraged by it because they're athletes showing off the resume of their work.
"If you are an actress, no disrespect to any actress, but you have not devoted decades of your life to perfecting a physical skill. So it's not at all the same,” Ohanian concluded.
Among those targeted by Sweeney on her Instagram story were Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe and Caroline Wozniacki, all posing nude, or semi-nude.
The American also posted images of male athletes in Rob Gronkowski, Myles Garrett, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jason Kelce.
“I’m not even mad,” Ohanian clarified. “If she wants to be naked for a commercial, that’s great, fine. It’s the false equivalence that I really support our athletes calling out about.
“The irony is my feed, at least, has been full of women athletes showing off, doing great women athlete stuff, which is awesome,” he concluded.
Topics: Serena Williams, Tennis
Kedar Bayley