British sprinter Amy Hunt dropped a season’s best 22.10 seconds in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, finishing fourth, and then immediately called out a controversial sports gambling advert featuring actress Sydney Sweeney that has gone viral online. Hunt wasn’t holding back, directly challenging the ad’s portrayal of women in sports just moments after a hard-fought race.
No More Sexualization, Only Achievements
The controversial advert features American actress Sydney Sweeney, who is 29 and has starred in shows like Euphoria and films like Anyone But You. In the ad, she appears naked, using various pieces of sporting equipment to cover parts of her body. This imagery has sparked a huge reaction, with many female athletes criticizing how it sexualizes women in sport and defines them by their appearance rather than their incredible achievements. After her race, Hunt didn’t mince words, declaring to BBC Sport, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like!” She didn’t stop there, highlighting the winner, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and her phenomenal 21.47 seconds, the fourth fastest ever over the distance. Hunt emphasized, “21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening.” She’s saying the quiet part out loud: we’re here for the sport, for the grind, not for manufactured controversy.
Athletes Across Sports Fire Back
This isn’t just one athlete speaking up, it’s a movement. American gymnast Gracie Kramer kicked off a 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.” The message is clear: real athleticism takes blood, sweat, and tears. Australia’s four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus added her powerful voice, saying, “Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is. How do we live in a world where monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?” British cyclist and Olympic champion Sophie Capewell MBE, rugby players Lisa Neumann and Ellie Boatman, and Australian water polo Olympian Tilly Kearns have all shared their stories too. Capewell noted the power in the collective response, saying it’s challenging why a specific, non-sport-centric image becomes “the face of the campaign that is associated with sport.” It’s about popular narratives, not autonomy, she explained.
Sweeney’s Social Media Counter and Past Controversies
Sweeney herself has not directly commented on the backlash, but she did take to social media. She posted a range of photos showing other athletes, both male and female, posing naked or in limited clothing for ESPN covers. These included tennis star Serena Williams, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, NFL player Myles Garrett, and basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns, seemingly suggesting hypocrisy from her critics. This isn’t Sweeney’s first brush with controversy over adverts either. Last year, she was involved in an American Eagle jeans campaign with the slogan “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” which also sparked pushback and debate over race and beauty standards. This ongoing conversation shows what’s truly at stake for women in sports: control over their narrative and recognition for their undeniable talent and hard work, not just their looks. It’s a fight for respect, and these athletes are making sure their voices are heard loud and clear.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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