After making a sexist remark about Australia’s female swimmers, Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard has been removed from the network’s coverage of the 2024 Olympics.
The 4×100-metre relay team, featuring Emma McKeon, Shayna Jack, Mollie O’Callaghan, and Meg Harris, won gold on Saturday at the Paris La Défense Arena, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 3:28.92.
While on the air, Ballard said: ‘Well, the women just finishing off. You know what women are like … hanging around, you know – doing their make-up.”
Co-commentator Lizzie Simmonds, a two-time Olympian — she swam for Great Britain in 2008 and in 2012 — cut in immediately.
“Outrageous, Bob,” she said. “Some of the men are doing that as well.”
The clip circulated widely on social media, drawing considerable backlash.
Eurosport issued a statement on Sunday: “During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment. To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.”
Ballard acknowledged his comments on Monday in a statement written on X.
“The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence. It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologize. I am a massive advocate of women’s sport.
“I shall miss the Eurosport team, dearly and wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympics. No further comment will be issued. Thank you.”
Known for his coverage of swimming and diving, Ballard’s broadcasting career dates back to the 1980s.
This is not the first time a broadcaster has come under fire for on-air gaffes at an Olympics.
NBC, in particular, had a challenging time during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The network removed Joshua Cooper Ramo, who made a comment about Japan and South Korea at the Opening Ceremony.
After acknowledging Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s attendance at the Games, he said that Japan was a “country which occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945,” and further stated, “but every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural, technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation.”
South Koreans called the comments “ignorant and hurtful” as many Koreans fought on the frontlines, worked as laborers, or were forced into sexual slavery during the Japanese occupation.
Katie Couric was also criticized for her work during the Opening Ceremony, for comments she made about the delegation from the Netherlands. She tried to explain why the nation performs so well in speed skating.
“It is probably not a news flash to tell you the Dutch are really, really good at speed skating,” she said. “All but five of the 110 medals they’ve won have been on the speed skating oval. Now, ‘Why are they so good?’ you may be asking yourselves. Because skating is an important mode of transportation in a city like Amsterdam which sits at sea level.
“As you all know, it has lots of canals that can freeze in the winters. So, for as long as those canals have existed, the Dutch have skated on them to get from place to place, to race each other, and also to have fun.”
Her statement was mocked by many online.
Understandably, Ballard’s comments became a talking point in Australia.
“Thankfully, there’s a lot of women now who are in sport as commentators,” Sky News Australia commentator Prue MacSween said during one segment. “But there’s still a lot of dinosaur, macho boofheads that are part of the ranks.”