PARIS – Actress Sydney Sweeney has been condemned by leading women athletes for a sports betting advert in which the American appears in various states of undress.

Sweeney, who starred in TV series Euphoria, has been accused of sexualising women’s sport after posing with sports equipment in the commercial for US company Novig, which allows users to predict the outcome of sports matches. The 29-year-old has an equity stake in the firm.

Four-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer Ariarne Titmus said she thought the marketing tactic belonged to the past.

“I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this,” Titmus wrote on Instagram.

“Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who had dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every women who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellent, unity...”

“How do we live in a world where monetising a women’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?“ the Australian added.

Several leading track and field athletes competing at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest last weekend expressed their consternation at Sweeney’s commercial, saying it was a misleading representation of how women in sport looked.

Having finished fourth behind US sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s winning time of 21.47sec in the 200 metres, the fourth fastest ever, British athlete Amy Hunt said in a BBC TV interview: “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. 21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears.”

She added: “When you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty. It’s not glamorous. It’s not sexy all the time, definitely.”