Veteran sports commentator Bob Ballard has been dismissed from his role at the Paris Olympics following a sexist remark about Australian female swimmers. The incident occurred as the 4x100m freestyle relay team, featuring Mollie O’Callaghan, Emma McKeon, Meg Harris, and Shayna Jack, celebrated their gold medal win.
As the triumphant Australian team was leaving the pool deck, Ballard made an inappropriate comment, saying they were “finishing up” and adding, “you know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make up.” The comment quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation.
Eurosport, the broadcaster for the Olympics, responded promptly by removing Ballard from their commentary lineup. In a statement, Eurosport condemned the remark, stating, “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, a seasoned commentator known for his extensive coverage of sports since the 1980s, had been a fixture in global sports broadcasting, including multiple Olympic Games and World Championships. His coverage spanned various sports, from swimming and diving to water polo, ice hockey, and wheelchair tennis.
The comment was made as O’Callaghan, McKeon, Harris, and Jack celebrated their victory over the US and China, marking Australia’s fourth consecutive gold medal in the event. Ballard’s co-commentator, British swimming champion Lizzie Simmonds, immediately criticized the remark as “outrageous,” which led to laughter from Ballard.
Swimming Australia has been approached for a comment on the incident. Ballard has yet to address the controversy publicly.