British sprinter Amy Hunt responded sharply to the controversial betting commercial starring actress Sydney Sweeney, asserting that the advertisement misrepresents the reality of women in sport. In the ad, the 29‑year‑old actress, known for her role in the series Euphoria, appears in a scantily‑clad ensemble, draped only in sports equipment, to promote the U.S.
betting firm Novig. The visual, intended to be provocative, sparked an immediate outcry from female athletes who felt it reduced their dedication to a sexualized spectacle.
Hunt, who recently earned the title of double European champion in the individual sprint events, seized the moment to speak directly to Sweeney during a BBC interview following her fourth‑place finish in the 200‑metre final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest. "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," she said, emphasizing the contrast between the glossy, objectified image presented in the advert and the gritty, disciplined reality of elite competition. She went on to break down the performance metrics that define her sport: "21.4 seconds – that’s the winning time set by Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden – muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears. This is a beautiful evening," she added, underscoring that the true beauty of athletics lies in effort and achievement, not in a manufactured sexual allure.
Hunt further elaborated on the daily challenges that female athletes face, many of which are invisible to the casual viewer. "Obviously we’ve seen everything about the Sydney Sweeney ad in the last 24 hours," she noted, "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." She cited a personal example, explaining that she arrived at the championship while dealing with the onset of her period – a circumstance that is far from ideal for a sprinter but one she cannot simply schedule around. "That’s not ever what you try to really plan for," she said, highlighting the physiological realities that athletes must manage alongside training and competition.
Hunt’s remarks were echoed by several other high‑profile sportswomen. Former U.S.
Olympic gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a video of herself executing a routine, captioning it, "Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing but this is what a woman in sport looks like," thereby reinforcing the message that genuine athletic performance, not sexualized marketing, should define the public image of female athletes. Australian boxing champion Skye Nicolson added her voice on Instagram, drawing a clear line between the natural confidence that can arise from being fit and the exploitation of sexuality for commercial gain. "There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to using sex to sell ‘sport,’" she wrote, critiquing the ad’s reliance on eroticism rather than athletic achievement.
In what appeared to be a defensive maneuver, Sweeney responded by sharing a series of images from ESPN Magazine’s celebrated BODY Issue on her Instagram stories. The BODY Issue is known for featuring athletes in artistic, often nude, portraits that celebrate the human form in the context of sport. Among the images she posted were iconic photographs of tennis legend Serena Williams and soccer star Megan Rapinoe, both of whom have previously been featured in the magazine for their strength, skill, and confidence.
By aligning herself with these celebrated athletes, Sweeney seemed to suggest that her own commercial was intended as a tribute to the power and beauty of female bodies in sport, rather than a cheap gimmick. Nevertheless, many critics argue that the context matters.
While the BODY Issue presents athletes in a respectful, artistic light, Sweeney’s advert for a betting company framed the same visual language within a commercial that seeks to monetize the viewer’s attention through sexual appeal. The distinction lies in intent: the BODY Issue aims to honor athletes, whereas the Novig advertisement appears to use their likenesses as a sales hook, reducing the athletes’ hard‑earned accomplishments to a backdrop for titillation. The broader conversation sparked by the advert touches on longstanding issues within sports marketing.
Female athletes have historically struggled for equal visibility, sponsorship, and media coverage compared with their male counterparts. When opportunities do arise, they are often contingent upon conforming to conventional standards of attractiveness, which can sideline the very achievements that merit recognition.
The backlash against Sweeney’s ad underscores a growing demand for authentic representation that foregrounds skill, perseverance, and the full spectrum of experiences that athletes, especially women, navigate. In addition to the immediate responses from Hunt, Kramer, and Nicolson, several sports advocacy groups have issued statements condemning the ad’s approach. They argue that such marketing perpetuates harmful stereotypes and detracts from the progress being made toward gender equity in sports. By focusing on a woman’s body rather than her performance, the advert reinforces a narrative that women must first be visually appealing before their athletic prowess can be acknowledged.
The incident also raises questions about the responsibilities of brands and advertisers when partnering with high‑profile athletes. Companies seeking to tap into the growing market of sports betting must balance commercial objectives with ethical considerations, ensuring that campaigns do not exploit or diminish the athletes they feature.
As the sports betting industry expands globally, the scrutiny of its advertising practices is likely to intensify, especially when those practices intersect with gender representation. In summary, Amy Hunt’s pointed critique, bolstered by the solidarity of other prominent sportswomen, has turned a single betting commercial into a flashpoint for a larger dialogue about how women in sport are portrayed. The exchange highlights the tension between artistic expression and commercial exploitation, reminding audiences and advertisers alike that the true essence of sport lies in dedication, resilience, and the often unseen struggles athletes endure. The conversation continues to evolve, with many hoping that future campaigns will celebrate female athletes for their achievements and character, rather than reducing them to mere visual fodder for profit.