British sprinter Amy Hunt has joined a chorus of female athletes condemning a viral gambling advertisement featuring American actress Sydney Sweeney, using her recent race results to champion the reality of women’s sports.
The controversial advert, which features Sweeney unclothed but using sporting equipment to cover her body, has drawn sharp criticism for allegedly sexualizing women in athletics and reducing their value to their appearance rather than their competitive achievements.
Hunt, who secured four European championship titles earlier this summer, addressed the controversy directly after competing at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest. On Sunday, she recorded a season’s best time of 22.10 seconds to finish fourth in the 200m final.
Following the race, Hunt told BBC Sport: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.” She pointed to the winning time of 21.47 seconds by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, noted as the fourth-fastest time ever over the distance, adding, “21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening.”
Does anyone else think this backlash is slightly overblown? It’s just a gambling ad, not a documentary on training.
21.47 seconds is elite level performance. Love seeing Amy Hunt use her platform to defend the integrity of the sport.
I missed the part where this ad actually promotes fitness. It just seems like sexualization wrapped in a track uniform.
Wait, is Sydney Sweeney even an athlete? This ad feels like a desperate cash grab rather than genuine sports promotion.
Finally, a sprinter with real podium experience calling out the industry. Hard work beats marketing every time.