International female athletes have publicly criticized a controversial sports gambling commercial featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, arguing that it diminishes athletic achievements by reducing women in sports to physical aesthetics, BBC Sport reported on Sunday. The advertisement, which circulated widely across digital platforms, portrays the actress covering portions of her body with sporting equipment. Prominent competitors across multiple disciplines stated that the campaign undermines the dedication required to excel in professional athletics.
British sprinter Amy Hunt addressed the commercial immediately following her fourth-place finish in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where she recorded a season-best performance. Speaking in a post-race interview, Hunt asserted that genuine female athleticism is defined by physical conditioning, discipline, and years of demanding preparation rather than glamour or provocative marketing. Her statements resonated across the track and field community as competitors challenged the framing of women in commercial media.
Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia echoed these concerns, characterizing the campaign as dismissive of athletes who dedicate their careers to perfecting their craft. Titmus questioned the continuing trend of commercial entities profiting from the physical commodification of women rather than highlighting their competitive excellence. Other international figures, including British Olympic cycling champion Sophie Capewell, rugby players Lisa Neumann and Ellie Boatman, and Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns, also joined the public critique by sharing records of their rigorous training regimes.
Sweeney did not issue an official statement addressing the criticism directly, though images of previous promotional magazine covers featuring prominent athletes in minimal attire were shared on her social media channels.
Representatives for the sports gambling company responsible for the promotional campaign have not released an official response to the athletes statements.
