Twenty-two million views in two days. That is how fast a single advertisement — featuring actor Sydney Sweeney draped in footballs and basketballs instead of clothes — has spread across the internet, and how quickly it has enraged some of the most decorated women in sport. The commercial, made for sports-prediction platform Novig, ends with Sweeney appearing topless on a pool table and declaring: "You can't trade this, I just look good here." For hundreds of female athletes, those words landed like a slap.

The counterattack began almost immediately after British sprinter Amy Hunt finished fourth in the 200 metres at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on Sunday. Still catching her breath, Hunt pointed to the scoreboard — where Melissa Jefferson-Wooden's winning time of 21.47 seconds, the fourth-fastest ever run by a woman, was glowing — and spoke directly to Sweeney. "This is what women in sport look like: 21.

4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears." Hunt also disclosed that her period had started the day before the race, stripping away the polished image that advertisers so often project onto female competitors.

The anger has crossed oceans. In Australia, four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus described the ad as "a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft." British Olympic cycling gold medallist Sophie Capewell asked, on social media, why sexualised representation remains the most visible way women in sport are shown to the world. American gymnast Gracie Kramer went further, posting competition footage alongside a blunt rebuttal that inspired hundreds of other athletes to do the same.

Novig has not yet issued a public response, and Sweeney's representatives have stayed silent.