Amy Hunt is concerned that Sydney Sweeney's provocative betting commercial could act as a deterrent for young girls who might otherwise be inspired to take up sport. The advertisement, produced for the U.S. betting firm Novig, features the actress from "Euphoria" scantily clad and draped in various pieces of sports equipment. Its release has sparked a wave of criticism from women athletes and advocates who feel the imagery undermines the message of empowerment they strive to promote.
Hunt responded directly to Sweeney, reminding the Hollywood star that the reality of women in sport looks very different from the glossy, sexualised portrayal presented in the ad. Hunt made the comment after she herself finished fourth in the 200‑metre race at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest over the weekend, a performance that underscored her commitment to showing what a female athlete’s body can achieve rather than how it appears.
During an appearance on "Good Morning Britain," Hunt elaborated on why authentic role models matter. "When we’re trying to provide role models for young people and young women in sport, we really want to show that it’s about what your body can do, not so much what it looks like," she said. She highlighted a troubling statistic: roughly 64 percent of girls stop participating in organized sport or regular exercise before they turn 16. "We don’t need to add any extra barriers to an already steep drop‑off," Hunt argued.
"We need to give them the chance to stay active, whether that means training for a professional career or simply joining a community ParkRun with friends." Hunt stressed that the core of sport is empowerment, not appearance. "It’s about encouraging young girls and women to get out there without worrying about their looks or their clothing," she continued. "Sport isn’t always pretty. The journey to elite performance can be messy, painful, and sometimes even humiliating – think of vomiting on the track after a grueling race or shedding tears after a tough training session.
Those moments are part of the story, and they show that greatness isn’t always glamorous." She argued that celebrating the raw, unfiltered reality of athletic effort helps aspiring athletes understand that success is built on dedication and resilience, not on fitting a narrow aesthetic ideal. "Being aspirational and striving for elite status is amazing," Hunt said, "but it doesn’t always look attractive.
It can look like a bruised knee, a sore back, or a moment of vulnerability. Those are the genuine images we should be sharing." Hunt was not the only athlete to voice disapproval of the Novig spot.
Former U.S. Olympic gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a video of herself competing, captioned, "Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing but this is what a woman in sport looks like," drawing a stark contrast between the ad’s sexualised imagery and the hard‑won athleticism of real competitors. Australian boxer Skye Nicolson added her perspective on Instagram, writing, "There's a big difference between looking 'sexy' because you do sport compared to using sex to sell 'sport'." In what appeared to be a defensive move, Sweeney shared a series of images from ESPN Magazine’s BODY Issue on her Instagram stories. The BODY Issue is known for featuring athletes such as Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe in artistic, nude portraits that celebrate the human form in the context of sport.
By aligning herself with those images, Sweeney may have been attempting to reframe the conversation around body positivity, though many observers felt the gesture missed the mark given the commercial’s original intent. Despite the controversy, Hunt believes the collective outcry from women athletes has shifted the narrative in a positive direction. "The reaction has almost outweighed the moment because the first thing I saw was all of the positive compilations of women in sport," she noted.
She explained that the backlash has transformed the conversation from a focus on the ad itself to a broader celebration of female athletic achievement. "It’s actually kind of moved. It’s separated itself from the moment entirely, and it’s not anything personal against that actress," Hunt clarified. "It’s more about the intention behind the content, and now the discussion has spun into a completely different direction, where we can highlight all these different things celebrating women's sport." The incident underscores a larger cultural debate about how female athletes are portrayed in media and advertising.
While some argue that any visibility can help break down barriers, many athletes and advocates maintain that representation should be rooted in authenticity and respect for the sport itself. By foregrounding the physical capabilities, emotional resilience, and everyday experiences of women in sport, figures like Hunt hope to provide more relatable and empowering role models for the next generation. In the months ahead, the conversation is likely to continue as brands reassess how they integrate sport into marketing campaigns. The hope among athletes is that future advertisements will prioritize genuine athletic narratives over sensationalised sexual appeal, ensuring that young girls see role models who reflect their own potential rather than an unattainable fantasy.