British sprinter Amy Hunt has criticised Sydney Sweeney’s nude ad campaign for a sports betting company.
The Euphoria actress, 29, posed naked with footballs, a tennis racket, a baseball and hockey stick in the ad campaign for Novig.
The ad has received pushback from several female athletes, who felt it was “sexualising women’s sport”.
Hunt was among those who expressed opposition to the ad when she finished fourth in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.
In a post-race interview with BBC Sport, she said: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like.”
Hunt finished the race in a season best time of 22.10 seconds and, referencing first place finisher Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s time of 21.47 seconds, added: “21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears. This is a beautiful evening.”
Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus also criticised the ad, writing 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 woman who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellent, unity…
“How do we live in a world where monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?
“I thought we were genuinely moving past this b*******. What is this teaching the young men and women of today? Sydney Sweeney, do better.”
Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns wrote that she hated Sweeney’s new sports ad.
Australian boxer Skye Nicolson wrote: “There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to use sex to sell ‘sport’.
“There is nothing wrong with looking good and doing sport and there’s nothing wrong with embracing your femininity while also being a badass athlete.”
American gymnast Gracie Kramer shared a video of herself performing a routine and wrote:” Idk what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sports looks like.”
Following the backlash, Sweeney shared several photos of athletes posing nude on her Instagram Stories, including Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Megan Rapinoe, Caroline Wozniacki and Rob Gronkowski.
Sweeney’s representatives have been contacted for comment.
Sweeney previously came under scrutiny following the launch of a “Great Jeans” advert that sparked a debate over race because of the use of “jeans” as a play on “genes”.
Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod to eugenics, the discredited theory that humans could be improved through selective breeding, but American Eagle has said the advert refers only to the company’s denim jeans.
Sweeney told US publication People: “I was honestly surprised by the reaction.
“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand.
“I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness.”