Sports commentator Bob Ballard was removed from Eurosport’s coverage of the Paris Olympics after making a sexist joke about female athletes.
The incident occurred when Team Australia’s swimmers, Mollie O’Callaghan, Emma McKeon, Meg Harris, and Shayna Jack, were celebrating their gold medal win in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Ballard commented that the swimmers were “finishing up” and implied they were “hanging around, doing their makeup,” a remark that quickly sparked backlash.
Fellow commentator Lizzie Simmonds immediately responded by calling the remark “outrageous” and noted that some men also do their makeup, to which Ballard laughed.
The comment went viral, leading to widespread criticism, including from the Australian organization Future Women, which champions gender equity.
In response to the backlash, Eurosport released a statement labeling Ballard’s comment as “inappropriate” and announced his immediate removal from the commentary team.
Ballard apologized if his remarks had offended anyone, stating it was not his intention to upset or belittle anyone.
Despite his apology, Eurosport confirmed that he would not return to their airwaves. Ballard’s career, which spans four decades and includes extensive coverage of swimming and other sports, has been significantly impacted by this incident
