Amy Hunt, the British sprinter who recently claimed a double European title in the individual sprints, launched a sharp rebuttal to actress Sydney Sweeney’s contentious advertising spot for the U.S. betting firm Novig. In a pointed interview with the BBC, Hunt reminded viewers that the reality of women in sport looks very different from the scantily‑clad image presented in the commercial. The advertisement in question features Sweeney, best known for her role in the hit series Euphoria, draped in minimal clothing and surrounded by various pieces of sports equipment.
The visual is intended to promote betting on sporting events, but many female athletes and fans have condemned it as a gratuitous sexualisation that reduces the dedication and effort of women competitors to a cheap gimmick. When asked about the ad after finishing fourth in the 200‑metre final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hunt did not hold back. "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," she said, then listed the concrete metrics that define a professional athlete’s performance: "21.4 seconds – that was the winning time posted by Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden – muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears. This is a beautiful evening." Hunt went on to explain that the image portrayed in the Novig spot is far from the lived experience of female athletes.
"Obviously we’ve seen everything about the Sydney Sweeney ad in the last 24 hours," she said, "and when you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty. It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy all the time, definitely not." She highlighted the everyday challenges that athletes face, even those that are invisible to the public eye. "There are low moments," Hunt admitted.
"Even turning up to this championship, my period started yesterday, so that’s not really ideal, and that’s not ever what you try to really plan for." Hunt’s comments resonated across social media, prompting a chorus of other athletes to voice their disapproval. Former U.S.
Olympic gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a short video of herself performing a routine, captioned, "Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing but this is what a woman in sport looks like." The post underscored the contrast between authentic athletic performance and the commercial’s reliance on sexual appeal. Australian boxer Skye Nicolson added her perspective on Instagram, stating, "There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to using sex to sell ‘sport’." Her remark drew attention to the broader debate about how women’s bodies are marketed in the sports industry, and whether such tactics undermine the credibility of female athletes. In what appeared to be a defensive move, Sweeney shared a series of images from ESPN Magazine’s celebrated BODY Issue on her Instagram Stories. Those photographs feature nude or semi‑nude portraits of elite athletes such as tennis legend Serena Williams and soccer star Megan Rapinoe, athletes who have long been praised for showcasing the strength and beauty of the female form in a context that celebrates sport rather than commodifies it.
By juxtaposing these iconic images with her own ad, Sweeney seemed to suggest that her commercial was part of a tradition of using the athletic body as artistic expression. However, many critics argued that the comparison fell short because the BODY Issue is curated by athletes themselves and aims to empower, whereas the Novig spot was created by a betting company with profit as its primary motive. The controversy taps into a larger conversation about representation in advertising. Studies have shown that when women are depicted primarily as sexual objects, it can diminish public perception of their competence and achievements.
For athletes, whose careers depend on sponsorships and media exposure, being reduced to a visual hook can have real financial and reputational consequences. Moreover, the timing of the ad—released during a major international competition—was seen by many as tone‑deaf, ignoring the intense preparation, discipline, and personal sacrifices that competitors like Hunt endure.
Beyond the immediate backlash, the incident has sparked calls for stricter guidelines on how athletes are portrayed in commercial content. Some advocacy groups are urging governing bodies, such as World Athletics and national sports federations, to develop policies that protect athletes from exploitative imagery. Others suggest that betting firms and other sponsors should work directly with athletes to co‑create campaigns that reflect authentic stories rather than relying on sensationalist visuals. In the weeks that followed, the conversation continued to evolve.
Fans and commentators debated whether the ad could be salvaged by re‑editing it to focus more on the sport itself, or whether it should be withdrawn entirely. Some argued that the controversy, while uncomfortable, has at least shone a spotlight on the ongoing struggle for gender‑equitable representation in sports media. Others maintained that the damage had already been done, and that the ad had reinforced harmful stereotypes that many athletes have fought to dismantle for years.
Regardless of the eventual outcome, the incident underscores a fundamental truth: the image of a woman in sport is built on countless hours of training, resilience in the face of physical and mental challenges, and a commitment to excellence that cannot be captured in a few seconds of provocative imagery. As Amy Hunt and her fellow athletes have made clear, the narrative surrounding female competitors should celebrate their achievements, acknowledge their hardships, and respect their agency—rather than reducing them to a marketing ploy. The ongoing dialogue sparked by this controversy may well lead to more thoughtful, athlete‑centred advertising practices in the future, ensuring that the true spirit of sport is honoured rather than exploited.