‘This is what women in sport look like’: Team GB athlete Amy Hunt hits back at Sydney Sweeney over nude betting ad

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The advert for US sports prediction market company Novig portrays the Euphoria star near-naked while she pretends to play several different sports.

It has sparked a strong reaction among many online and in the sporting world, with many condemning it for its sexualisation of women in sport.

Four-time European champion Hunt referenced the advert after running a season's best 22.10 seconds to finish fourth in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.

"Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like," Hunt said in her post-race interview.

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Pointing to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden's winning time of 21.47 seconds - the fourth-fastest ever for the distance - she continued: "21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening."

Hunt added: “When you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty. It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy all the time.”

The backlash has included many other athletes from a range of sports who have described the frustrations and struggles they have experienced throughout their careers as women.

Many have posted videos of themselves competing or training centred around the line “this is what a woman in sport looks like” in a trend kickstarted by American gymnast Gracie Kramer.

Also responding to the advert, four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus said on Instagram: "I can't describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this."

"Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who had dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every women who enjoys sports for what it really is - teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellent, unity, the list goes on.

"But, how do we live in a world where monetising a woman's body and sexualising women's sport is still a thing?"

Some social media users have suggested that anger should be directed at Novig rather than Sweeney.

However, many have been quick to respond to such suggestions, pointing out that the actor is not just the face of the campaign but also a “strategic partner and equity holder” at Novig.

The American actor is no stranger to controversy.

Her American Eagle campaign in 2025 caused widespread outrage, with many criticising its slogan - 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans' - for appearing to use the language of eugenics.

In the now-deleted video, the Housemaid actor says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality, and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”

Several months after the ad’s release, the actor acknowledged her silence on the controversy had only “widened the divide”.