Female athletes have criticized a controversial sports gambling advertisement featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, arguing that it sexualizes women in sport rather than celebrating their achievements. In response to this ad, Amy Hunt, a four-time European champion sprinter, highlighted the physical effort and dedication required for athletic success during an interview with BBC Sport after her race in Budapest on Sunday. This critique has sparked a social media trend where athletes share images of themselves training or competing to emphasize the hard work behind their accomplishments.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
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Story summary
Sydney Sweeney, an American actress known for her roles in "Euphoria" and "The Housemaid," faced widespread criticism after a controversial sports gambling advertisement went viral on September 9th. The ad, promoting the company Novig, features Sweeney nude but partially covered by various pieces of sporting equipment, with captions like “Think you know sports? Prove it” and “You can trade on this.” This ad garnered nearly 39 million views within a few days.
Female athletes across different disciplines reacted strongly against the advertisement. British sprinter Amy Hunt, who won four European championships earlier in summer and finished fourth at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship 200m final, told BBC Sport, "Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," referring to hard work and dedication rather than sexualized imagery. Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic medalist, called the ad “a kick in the face” on Instagram.
The ad sparked debates about how women in sports are portrayed and objectified, with athletes emphasizing their achievements over physical appearance. Kramer, an American gymnast who has faced similar issues, echoed Hunt's sentiments, aiming to uplift women in sports and remind them of their worth beyond objectification.
Written for “Sports Betting Ad Controversy” on 2026-09-14,
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- Published
Female athletes have spoken out against a controversial sports gambling advert starring actress Sydney Sweeney.
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athletes → publish → Sweeney
The advert has gone viral online and features American Sweeney naked but covering parts of her body with various pieces of sporting equipment.
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Sweeney → go → equipment
It has sparked a strong reaction, with many female athletes criticising its sexualisation of women in sport, and how they are being defined by their appearance rather than their achievements as sportswomen.
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they → spark → sportswomen
Amy Hunt, who became a four-time European champion earlier this summer, referenced the advert after she ran a season's best 22.10 seconds to finish fourth in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.
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she → become → Sunday
"Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," Hunt said in her post-race interview with BBC Sport.
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Hunt → look → Sport
Referring to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden's winning time of 21.47 seconds, the fourth fastest ever over the distance, she added: "21.4.
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she → refer → 21.4
American actress Sweeney, 29, starred in the television series Euphoria and her films include Anyone But You and The Housemaid.
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films → star → You
The backlash has included many other athletes from a range of sports posting videos of themselves competing or training, and describing the frustrations and struggles they have faced throughout their careers.
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they → include → careers
The trend was started by American gymnast Gracie Kramer, who posted a montage of herself training with the caption, "I don't know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what women in sport look like."
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women → start → sport
Kramer told BBC 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 thing that matters".
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that → tell → ads
She said it was "so cool" to see "all the incredible athletes hopping on this trend, uplifting themselves, uplifting each other", adding she was used to getting "very demeaning and objectifying" messages from men because of competing in a leotard as a gymnast.
Kramer added: "Unfortunately being objectified pretty much my entire career, 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 into this unfortunate narrative that's been pushed for a long time."
Australia's four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus said: "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.
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it → say → sports
How do we live in a world where monetising a woman's body and sexualising women's sport is still a thing?"
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monetising → live → sport
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 stories.
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Capewell → share → stories
"I think it's quite powerful, the amount of women who've come out and said something," Capewell told BBC Sport after her post gained attention.
"
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post → think → attention
It's giving a very specific picture of women around sport and I think that's the challenging thing.
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that → give → sport
Why is that the face of the campaign that is associated with sport?
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that → associate → sport
"And that's the way you want to portray a woman, instead of it having, I don't know, an athlete or anything else that's more sport-centric?
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that → want → athlete
"It's not necessarily that people are upset with someone having autonomy, it's the fact
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it → have → autonomy
that seems to be the only narrative that is directed around women in sports, or that's what gets more popularity
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what → seem → popularity
England women's rugby player Alex Matthews said adverts like Sweeney's should not make young women believe there is a "one size fits all" body.
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size → say → Sweeney
"You don't get that idolised perfect body," she told BBC Sport.
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she → get → Sport
"Especially in rugby - you wouldn't have a team.
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you → have → team
"Every body type has a strength."
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type → have → strength
Matthews, who represented Great Britain in rugby sevens at Tokyo 2020, said one of "most inspiring" things about being in the Olympic village was seeing "the older generations, the younger generations, the taller people, the you know slightly bigger people, but they were all the best at what they did".
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they → represent → what
Sweeney has not commented in response but she took to social media to post a range of photos of other athletes posing naked or in limited clothing, appearing to suggest hypocrisy.
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she → comment → hypocrisy
The photos were a series of ESPN covers featuring the likes of tennis star Serena Williams and MMA fighter and wrestler Ronda Rousey, alongside male athletes including NFL player Myles Garrett and basketball player Karl-Anthony Towns.
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photos → feature → Garrett
Sweeney was involved in another controversial advert last year, promoting jeans for American Eagle which featured the slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans".
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Sweeney → involve → jeans
This also received pushback from some on social media, with criticism surrounding the play on the words "jeans" and "genes" which sparked a debate over race and beauty standards.
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which → receive → standards
