British sprinter Amy Hunt has joined a wave of female athletes speaking out against a controversial sports gambling advertisement starring American actress Sydney Sweeney.
The viral campaign features 29-year-old Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria, Anyone But You and The Housemaid, appearing naked while covering parts of her body with various items of sporting equipment.
The commercial has sparked widespread criticism from sportswomen who argue it over-sexualises female athletes and reduces their worth to physical appearance rather than athletic achievement.
Hunt referenced the controversy following the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday, where she ran a season’s best time of 22.10 seconds to finish fourth.
In her post-race interview with Sport, Hunt stated, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like!” Commenting on winner Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s time of 21.47 seconds—the fourth-fastest ever over the distance—she added, “21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening.”
The online backlash prompted numerous athletes from different disciplines to share training videos and discuss the obstacles they have faced.
American gymnast Gracie Kramer initiated the trend by posting a training montage with the caption, “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what women in sport look like.”
Kramer said World Service that she never expected such a massive reaction and simply wanted to remind people that advertising imagery does not define the reality of women in sports. She added that her career in a leotard has exposed her to demeaning and objectifying messages from men, strengthening her resolve to stand up against unfair narratives.
Australia’s four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus strongly condemned the campaign, calling it a direct insult to every woman dedicated to mastering her craft and enjoying sport for its true value. She questioned how monetising women’s bodies and sexualising women’s sport remains acceptable today.
Other prominent figures, including British cyclist and Olympic champion Sophie Capewell MBE, rugby players Lisa Neumann and Ellie Boatman, and Australian water polo Olympian Tilly Kearns, also shared their perspectives.
Capewell noted that the widespread response proves how powerful female solidarity can be, questioning why media campaigns consistently default to narrow representations of women rather than focusing on athletic excellence.
England women’s rugby player Alex Matthews emphasised that campaigns like Sweeney’s should not trick young women into believing there is a single ideal body type. Matthews, who competed in rugby sevens at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, recalled that the most inspiring aspect of the Olympic village was witnessing athletes of all heights and builds who successfully excelled in their respective fields.
Sweeney has not issued a direct statement in response, but she shared social media posts featuring archival photographs of various athletes—including tennis star Serena Williams, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, NFL player Myles Garrett, and basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns—posing naked or in minimal clothing, seemingly implying hypocrisy among critics.
Last year, Sweeney faced similar public pushback over an American Eagle jeans promotion that played on the words “jeans” and “genes,” which previously ignited widespread online debates surrounding race and beauty standards. The report also notes that kramer said World Service’s Newshour show she “did not expect” the reaction to her post and “just wanted to uplift women and remind them that you may see these types of ads but remember that this is not the only thin. The report also notes that it made me feel strong enough to post about this and to stand up for the women that don’t want to be objectified and don’t want to be looped in, kramer added: “Unfortunately being objectified pretty much my entire career. The report also notes that the amount of women who’ve come out and said something,” Capewell said Sport after her post gained attention, i think it’s quite powerful. The report also notes that it’s giving a very specific picture of women around sport and I think that’s the challenging thing.
