British track star Amy Hunt has voiced her disapproval of actress Sydney Sweeney's recent advertisement, accusing the actress of sexualizing women's sports. Sweeney appeared naked, using sports equipment for coverage, in a promotional campaign for the betting platform Novig.
Hunt, speaking after her 200m race at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, directly addressed Sweeney in a post-race interview. "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women's sport looks like!" Hunt declared, emphasizing that women's sports embody "hard work, sweat, blood, tears." The 24-year-old Cambridge University graduate's comments align with a broader critique from several female athletes.
Australian water polo Olympian Matilda Kearns stated on Instagram that she "absolutely f****** hates" Sweeney's ad and shared footage of her team as an example of "real women's sports content." Former Olympic runner Hannah Williams echoed this sentiment, calling the advertisement a "disgrace" that undermines women's ongoing efforts to gain respect in male-dominated fields.
Olympic weightlifting coach Danielle Bagacay highlighted the pervasive issue of sexualization in women's sports, noting that it disproportionately focuses on physical appearance, overshadowing athletes' achievements and hard work. She stressed the importance of focusing on athletes' abilities and empowerment rather than their physical appearance.
Fitness influencer Angela Everington also criticized the ad, suggesting that Sweeney's platform could have been used to showcase the capabilities of the human body rather than sexualizing it. Everington pointed to statistics indicating that body image concerns lead many teenage girls to drop out of sports.
However, some online commentators have expressed support for Sweeney. Arguments included accusations of jealousy toward Sweeney and a call for "women supporting women." Others suggested the ad, despite the controversy, successfully drew attention to women's sports.
Novig founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky stated that Sweeney herself chose to appear nude in the campaign, expressing discomfort with other platforms that allow predictions on topics beyond sports. Fortinsky described Sweeney as being adept at captivating audiences and becoming the center of attention, which he believes can drive national discourse.
In response to the criticism, Sweeney shared a series of Instagram Stories, featuring images of both female athletes like Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, and Megan Rapinoe, and male athletes such as Myles Garrett and Rob Gronkowski, who have also posed nude in various contexts.