'This is what women in sport look like' - Hunt responds to controversial Sweeney advert
Source: BBC Sport ↗ (cross-verified by 2 outlets — full list below)
British sprinter Amy Hunt, a four‑time European champion, used her post‑race interview after finishing fourth in the 200 metres with a season’s best of 22.10 seconds at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest to denounce a new sports‑gambling advert starring actress Sydney Sweeney. The viral ad shows the 29‑year‑old, known for “Euphoria,” naked while covering herself with various pieces of sporting equipment, prompting Hunt to declare, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look…” She contrasted the image with the performance of Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden, whose 21.47‑second run is the fourth‑fastest ever, emphasizing “muscles, hard work, blood, sweat, tears” as the true representation of female athletes.
The advertisement has ignited a broad backlash from women across multiple disciplines who argue that it reduces sport to a sexualised spectacle rather than celebrating athletic achievement. The response began with American gymnast Gracie Kramer, who posted a training montage captioned, “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what women in sport look like.” Since then, swimmers such as Australia’s four‑time Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus, cyclist and Olympic champion Sophie Capewell MBE, rugby players Lisa Neumann and Ellie Boatman, and water‑polo Olympian Tilly Kearns have shared videos and statements highlighting the frustration of having their dedication eclipsed by objectification. Titmus called the ad “a kick in the face” to women who have devoted their lives to sport and questioned how society still monetises and sexualises female bodies.
Sweeney has not publicly responded to the criticism, but she posted a series of images featuring athletes—both women and men—appearing scantily clad on ESPN covers, including tennis star Serena Williams, MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, NFL player Myles Garrett and basketball player Karl‑Anthony Towns, a move that some interpreted as an attempt to point out a double standard. The controversy underscores an ongoing debate about the portrayal of women in sport media, with athletes demanding that their performance, not their appearance, be the focus, and it may pressure advertisers and broadcasters to reconsider how they depict female competitors in future campaigns.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶A story like this rarely stays local for long in a connected economy.
- ▶Global commerce typically shrugs off slight shocks, but keeps one eye open.
🏙️Local Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Match days can lift takings for nearby businesses.
- ▶A big result can even lift spending in the days that follow.
🏦Rates & Banksmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Rate-setters usually take their time digesting this kind of news.
- ▶Base rate decisions are usually made on data trends, not single headlines.
❤️Healthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Fans occasionally overdo the celebrations, so a bit moderation helps.
- ▶Excitement is healthy, though nail-biting finishes test the nerves.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Savers with a clear plan tend to feel less rattled by news like this.
- ▶Time in the market usually matters more than timing the market around a story like this.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Home costs usually respond later, once the bigger picture settles.
- ▶Buyers and renters may notice only a mild drift, if anything at all.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.