Sunday 28 July 2024

Media Guardian: Eurosport drop Olympics commentator Bob Ballard for sexist remark about swimmers

Story from Media Guardian:

The Olympic broadcaster Eurosport has removed Bob Ballard from its commentary team at Paris 2024 after he made a sexist remark about Australia’s female swimmers.

It came after the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris won gold on Saturday evening. In a clip that went viral on social media, Ballard said: “Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like hanging around, doing their makeup.”

Ballard’s co-commentator Lizzie Simmonds called the remark “outrageous”.

A statement from the broadcaster said: “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 has yet to comment publicly on his remark.

Australia won a fourth consecutive gold in the event with a time of 3min 28.92sec, with McKeon wining a sixth gold medal to become the country’s most decorated Olympian.

© 2024 Guardian News & Media Limited.