Athletes share ‘what women in sport look like’ to rebut Sydney Sweeney ad

Amy Hunt, a British sprinter who won four gold medals at the European Athletics Championships, criticized Sydney Sweeney's ad for Novig as sexualizing women’s sports. During an interview on Good Morning Britain, Hunt emphasized that showcasing what female athletes' bodies can do is more important than their appearance. She noted the high percentage (64%) of young girls dropping out of exercise and sport before age 16, urging to avoid placing barriers in their way.

Sweeney's ad features her partially naked with sports equipment covering parts of her body, which drew strong backlash from female athletes like Ariarne Titmus, Gracie Kramer, and Sofie Fella. These athletes described the advertisement as disrespectful and oversexualizing women’s sport. Hunt addressed Sweeney directly after a race in Budapest, stating "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," referring to muscle, hard work, sweat, blood, and tears.

Sweeney responded to the backlash by sharing photos of nude athletes on her Instagram Stories, including Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Megan Rapinoe, Caroline Wozniacki, and Rob Gronkowski. Despite this, critics continued to argue that the ad undermines efforts to empower young girls in sports. Hunt clarified that the criticism was not personal but aimed at the advertisement’s intention of sexualizing women's sport rather than celebrating their athletic achievements.