Amy Hunt Criticizes Sydney Sweeney Ad as Barrier to Girls in Sport
Amy Hunt, a 24-year-old sprinter from the UK, has criticized a controversial sports betting ad featuring Sydney Sweeney, arguing it negatively impacts young girls' participation in sports. The Novig ad shows Sweeney posing nude while using sports gear for modesty. After running her best 200m time of 22.10 seconds at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday, Hunt stated, "This is what women in sport look like." She emphasized that sports should prioritize talent over appearance, noting that 64% of girls quit exercising by age 16. Fashion editor Harriet Walker called the ad outdated, while sports marketing expert Tim Crow admitted it does capture attention. Organizations opted to remain silent to avoid drawing more attention.
Key facts
- British sprinter Amy Hunt criticized the Sydney Sweeney advert for Novig as a barrier to girls' participation in sport.
- The advert features Sweeney naked, covering her body with sporting equipment.
- Hunt ran a season's best 22.10 seconds in the 200m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sunday.
- Hunt won four gold medals at the European Championships in Birmingham last month.
- Hunt cited that 64% of young girls drop out of exercise and sport before age 16.
- Harriet Walker, fashion editor at The Times, called the advert regressive on Woman's Hour.
- Sports marketing expert Tim Crow said the advert was a PR masterclass but the real test is business generated.
- Organizations declined to comment to BBC Sport for fear of giving Sweeney and Novig more publicity.
Entities
Artists
- Amy Hunt
- Sydney Sweeney
- Harriet Walker
- Tim Crow
- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
- Gracie Kramer
- Ariarne Titmus
- Sophie Capewell
- Lisa Neumann
- Ellie Boatman
- Tilly Kearns
Institutions
- Novig
- BBC Sport
- Good Morning Britain
- The Times
- Woman's Hour
- European Championships
- Ultimate Championship
Locations
- Birmingham
- United Kingdom
- Budapest
- Hungary
- Australia
- United States