British track sensation Amy Hunt has joined the pile-on against Sydney Sweeney after the actress was accused of sexualising women’s sport.
Hunt used her post-race interview at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship to criticise the American Euphoria star.
Sweeney has split opinion after posing naked – while using various pieces of sports equipment to cover herself – in an advert for betting platform Novig.
The provocative advert has dominated headlines and drawn criticism from a range of athletes, with one branding it a ‘disgrace’.
And after finishing fourth in her 200m race, Hunt said: ‘It was incredible to be part of such an incredible race. Sydney Sweeney, this is what women’s sport looks like!’
The 24-year-old – who has previously called herself ‘sexy and aggressive’ – shot looks straight down the camera as if to address Sweeney directly.
Sydney Sweeney has come under fire from British track star Amy hunt for her naked sports ad
Sweeney covered herself with sports equipment in an ad for betting platform Novig
Sprinter Hunt said that women’s sport looks like ‘hard work, sweat, blood, tears’
‘Hard work, sweat, blood, tears,’ Hunt continued. ‘This is a beautiful evening.’
Hunt, a Cambridge University graduate, joins a chorus of female athletes speaking out against Sweeney.
Australian Olympian water poloist Matilda Kearns wrote in a video montage on Instagram: ‘I absolutely f****** hate Sydnwey Sweeney’s new sports ad.’
She added in the caption: ”Like what are we doing… so much worse than I imagined too.’
‘Here’s some real women’s sports content,’ adding a medal emoji to footage of the Aussie water polo team.
‘Hey Sydney Sweeney, this is women in sports btw,’ said ex-Olympic runner Hannah Williams as she shared a clip of sprinters.
‘The ad is such a disgrace for woman in sports btw constantly trying to be respected in a male dominated field.’
‘The sexualisation of women in sport (and in life) is an ongoing issue that most (if not, all) women face,’ said Olympic weightlifting coach Danielle Bagacay.
Australian water poloist Matilda Kearns said she ‘absolutely f****** hates’ Sweeney’s ad
Sweeney defended herself by pointing out that male and female athletes have posed nude before
‘This issue disproportionately focuses on physical appearance and, instead, overshadows our achievements, hard work and ability to reach athletic goals.
‘My purpose and mission as a coach is to focus on improving my athletes’ ability, capacity and capability to reach their strength and performance goals.
‘Less about the number on the scales or how they look, and more about feel and empowerment.
‘I hope whatever Sydney Sweeney is trying to portray will be overshadowed by other women speaking/posting against the brand campaign.’
‘Congratulations Sydney Sweeney, you’ve just rattled every woman in sport,’ wrote fitness influencer Angela Everington.
’45 per cent of teenage girls say they don’t feel they have the ‘right body shape’ for sport.
‘A study of women found 70 per cent had seen girls drop out of sport because of sports kit or body-image concerns.
‘I’m sure your marketing would have performed just as well if you used your platform to share what the body can do rather than sexualise it.’
Other people have aired their support for Sweeney, with one writing on Kearns’ post: ‘Easy to hate someone you are also jealous of.’
Another said: ‘It still brought attention to women’s sports… stop being such haters to another woman. Full stop. The end.’
‘Why all the hate? What ever happened to women supporting women? She didn’t kill her kids or anything,’ someone else wrote.
The criticism comes after Novig founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky revealed that Sydney herself decided to appear nude in the campaign for an unexpected reason.
Sydney was reportedly drawn to the platform because it focuses strictly on sports predictions, while other platforms allow users to make predictions on a broader range of topics.
‘She said, “I’m uncomfortable with other platforms that have markets on what colour underwear I’m going to wear”,’ Fortinsky recalled in an interview with Front Office Sports.
‘There’s something clean about sports,’ she reportedly said.
Sydney holds an equity stake in Novig, making it unsurprising that she was willing to generate another talking point by appearing nude for the campaign.
‘Sydney is great at captivating audiences and being the center of attention,’ Fortinsky said.
‘In some sense, it forces us into the national discourse,’ he added.
Sydney has since hit back at critics of her new ad, sharing a series of Instagram Stories that highlight celebrities who have posed nude.
She posted photos of Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe and Caroline Wozniacki showing off skin for magazines.
Sydney also pointed out men who have stripped down in the name of sports.
Myles Garrett, Rob Gronkowski, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jason Kelce featured in her round-up of naked men.
