Amy Hunt, the British sprinter who recently captured two European titles in the individual sprint events, publicly rebuked the new betting advertisement featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, insisting that the commercial misrepresents what female athletes truly look like. The advert, produced for the American wagering firm Novig, showcases the star of the Netflix series "Euphoria" in a highly sexualised setting: she is scantily clad, draped in sports equipment, and posed in a manner that emphasizes her body rather than any sporting achievement.
The promotional clip has ignited a wave of criticism from women across the sporting world, who argue that it reduces the dedication, effort, and physical reality of athletic competition to a mere marketing gimmick. During a post‑race interview with the BBC after finishing fourth in the 200‑metre final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hunt seized the moment to address the controversy head‑on. "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," she said, directly referencing the actress while highlighting the stark contrast between the advert’s glossy imagery and the genuine experience of elite competition. Hunt went on to cite the winning time of Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden—21.4 seconds—as a concrete example of the hard work, muscle development, sweat, blood, and even tears that define a high‑performance athlete’s journey.
"This is a beautiful evening," she added, underscoring the respect she holds for the sport itself. Hunt did not shy away from describing the less glamorous aspects of her own preparation and competition. She noted that in the 24 hours leading up to the championship, she had to contend with a sudden onset of her menstrual cycle, a situation that is far from ideal for any sprinter but nonetheless part of the reality many female athletes navigate.
"When you're a woman in sport, it's not pretty. It's not glamorous. It's not sexy all the time, definitely," Hunt remarked, emphasizing that the everyday challenges—physical discomfort, hormonal fluctuations, and the grind of training—are rarely highlighted in media portrayals.
Her comments resonated with a broader chorus of athletes and former competitors who have taken to social media to voice similar concerns. Former U.S. Olympic gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a short video of herself executing a routine, captioning it, "Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing but this is what a woman in sport looks like." The post was intended to juxtapose genuine athletic performance with the artificial, sexualised image presented in the Novig ad.
Australian professional boxer Skye Nicolson also weighed in via Instagram, writing, "There's a big difference between looking 'sexy' because you do sport compared to using sex to sell 'sport'." Her statement points to a longstanding debate within sports marketing about the line between celebrating the aesthetic aspects of athleticism and exploiting sexuality purely for commercial gain. In what appears to be a defensive maneuver, Sweeney responded to the backlash by sharing a series of images from ESPN Magazine’s celebrated BODY Issue on her Instagram stories.
The BODY Issue is known for its artistic, often nude, portraits of athletes such as tennis legend Serena Williams and soccer star Megan Rapinoe, highlighting the natural form of the human body in the context of sport. By posting these images, Sweeney may have been attempting to align herself with a tradition of tasteful athletic representation, though critics argue that the context of a betting advertisement remains fundamentally different from a magazine feature dedicated to honoring athletic physiques. The controversy raises several important questions about how women’s sport is marketed and perceived in contemporary media.
On one hand, advertisers argue that sexual appeal can broaden an audience and increase engagement with a product—in this case, a betting platform. On the other hand, athletes like Hunt, Kramer, and Nicolson contend that such tactics diminish the authenticity of sport, reduce athletes to objects of desire, and overlook the rigorous training, discipline, and personal sacrifices required to compete at the highest level. Beyond the immediate dispute, the incident shines a light on broader systemic issues.
Female athletes often receive less media coverage than their male counterparts, and when they do appear, the focus can skew toward appearance rather than achievement. Studies have shown that women’s sports receive a fraction of the airtime and sponsorship dollars allocated to men’s sports, and when they are featured, narratives frequently centre on femininity, personal life, or physical attractiveness. This advertising approach, therefore, risks perpetuating a cycle where women’s sports are valued more for visual appeal than for competitive merit. Moreover, the physiological realities that Hunt mentioned—such as the impact of menstrual cycles on performance—are rarely discussed in mainstream coverage.
Yet they are integral to understanding the full spectrum of challenges female athletes face. By openly acknowledging these factors, Hunt contributes to a growing conversation about the need for more informed, respectful, and comprehensive representation of women in sport. The reaction from the sporting community also underscores a shifting cultural landscape where athletes are increasingly using their platforms to advocate for change. Social media has become a powerful tool for voicing dissent, rallying supporters, and pressuring brands to reconsider their messaging.
In this case, the collective response from athletes across disciplines suggests a unified stance: that the portrayal of women in sport should be rooted in authenticity, respect, and an appreciation of the hard work that underpins every competition. In summary, Amy Hunt’s pointed rebuttal to Sydney Sweeney’s Novig advert sparked a wider dialogue about the ethics of sexualised marketing in the realm of athletics. By juxtaposing the glossy, objectifying imagery of the commercial with the tangible realities of training, competition, and bodily experiences, Hunt and her fellow athletes highlighted the dissonance between commercial exploitation and genuine sport.
Their responses—ranging from candid interviews to social media posts—serve as a reminder that the true image of a woman in sport is defined not by the camera’s lens but by dedication, resilience, and the countless hours spent perfecting her craft.