Amy Hunt, the British sprinter who recently claimed the double European title in the individual sprints, launched a sharp rebuttal to the latest advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. Hunt told the 29‑year‑old star that the commercial does not represent the reality of women who compete in sport.
The advertisement in question was produced for the American betting firm Novig and stars Sweeney, best known for her role in the television series Euphoria. In the spot, the actress appears almost naked, draped only in sports equipment, a visual choice that has sparked an outcry from athletes, especially women, who argue that it reduces their hard‑won achievements to a sexualized spectacle. After finishing fourth in the 200‑metre final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hunt took to the BBC microphone to voice her frustration.
"Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," she said, pointing out the stark contrast between the athlete’s dedication and the advertisement’s focus on sex appeal. She went on to cite the winning time of Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden—21.4 seconds—as a testament to the speed, muscle, sweat, blood, and tears that define elite competition. "This is a beautiful evening," Hunt added, emphasizing the genuine elegance of athletic performance. Hunt did not stop at a single statement.
She continued, "Obviously we’ve seen in the last 24 hours everything about the Sydney Sweeney ad, and when you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty. It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy all the time, definitely. There are low moments.
Even turning up to this championship, my period started yesterday, so that’s not ideal, and that’s not something you plan for." Her candid admission about dealing with a menstrual cycle during a major competition highlighted the everyday realities that female athletes navigate—realities that are rarely, if ever, depicted in glossy advertising. Hunt’s criticism resonated across social media, prompting other high‑profile athletes to share their own perspectives.
Former U.S. Olympic gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a short video of herself training, captioned, "Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing but this is what a woman in sport looks like," underscoring the disconnect between the commercial’s portrayal and the grit of actual training. Australian boxing champion Skye Nicolson added a thoughtful comment on Instagram: "There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to using sex to sell ‘sport’." Her words captured a sentiment echoed by many women in the sporting community: athleticism can be empowering and attractive, but it should never be reduced to a marketing gimmick. In what appeared to be a defensive move, Sweeney responded by sharing a series of images from ESPN Magazine’s BODY Issue on her Instagram stories.
The BODY Issue is known for celebrating athletes in their natural, often nude, form, featuring iconic figures such as Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe. By highlighting these images, Sweeney seemed to suggest that her own commercial was part of a broader tradition of showcasing athletes’ bodies in a non‑sexualized, artistic manner.
However, critics argue that the context matters: the BODY Issue is a curated editorial spread that honors the physicality of sport, whereas the Novig advert uses a celebrity’s near‑nakedness primarily to attract betting customers, blurring the line between celebration and exploitation. The controversy raises several larger questions about how women’s sport is marketed and consumed.
On one hand, there is a legitimate desire for greater visibility and financial support for female athletes, many of whom still earn a fraction of what their male counterparts do. On the other hand, the means by which that visibility is achieved can either empower athletes or reinforce harmful stereotypes. When an advertisement chooses to focus on a Hollywood actress’s body rather than the athletes themselves, it can send the message that the sport’s value lies in its ability to sell sex rather than in the dedication, training, and skill of its participants.
Industry observers note that this is not an isolated incident. Over the past decade, several brands have faced backlash for similar campaigns that prioritize sexual appeal over authentic representation. The pattern suggests a tension between commercial interests and the growing demand for respectful, accurate portrayals of women in sport.
For athletes like Hunt, the issue is personal as well as professional. As a competitor who has spent countless hours in the gym, on the track, and dealing with the physiological challenges of a high‑performance career, she wants young girls to see that success is built on perseverance, not on how one looks in a photograph. Her remarks about dealing with her period during a championship underline the importance of normalizing conversations about women’s health in sport—a topic that has historically been brushed aside.
The dialogue sparked by this advert may have lasting implications. Brands may be forced to reconsider how they incorporate female athletes into marketing strategies, moving toward narratives that celebrate skill, resilience, and the true spirit of competition. Meanwhile, athletes are increasingly using their platforms to call out missteps and demand more authentic representation. In summary, Amy Hunt’s pointed response, echoed by fellow athletes such as Gracie Kramer and Skye Nicolson, highlights a growing frustration with the way women’s sport is sometimes commodified.
While Sydney Sweeney’s attempt to reference the ESPN BODY Issue may have been an effort to align her advert with a tradition of artistic nudity, many feel that the commercial missed the mark by focusing on a Hollywood star rather than the athletes who embody the sport. The conversation continues, and it serves as a reminder that true representation should honor the hard work, sweat, and dedication that define women in sport, rather than reducing them to mere visual props for advertising purposes.