Great Britain sprinter Amy Hunt has issued a direct challenge to Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney over a controversial sports betting advertisement, asserting that the portrayal does not represent the reality for female athletes.
The comments were made following the 200m final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday, 13 September 2026. Hunt, who finished fourth in the race, used a post-event interview to address a high-profile marketing campaign for the US sports prediction platform Novig.
Directing her remarks to the Euphoria actress, Hunt stated: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. Muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears.”
The sprinter further highlighted the physical demands and biological realities of professional competition, noting that her period had started only the day before the championship race.
Wider backlash from the sporting world
The Novig campaign, marketed as a “sports-only” prediction market, has drawn criticism from several high-profile athletes who argue it relies on a sexualised “male gaze” rather than athletic achievement. Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus reportedly described the advertisement as a “kick in the face” to women who dedicate their lives to professional sport.
According to The Guardian, Sydney Sweeney responded to the criticism by sharing archival photos from ESPN’s “Body Issue” on her Instagram Stories. The images featured nude and semi-nude professional athletes, a move seen by some as a rebuttal to the claim that her campaign was uniquely provocative.
The row comes shortly after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) released updated guidelines in June 2026. The new framework was designed to address the sexualisation of women in sports media and encourage respectful representation across broadcasting platforms.
While representatives for Sweeney have argued the advertisement is “just sports” and intended to promote a platform distinct from political betting, the athletics community remains divided over the commercialisation of the female form in a sporting context.
