After a pretty off-hand and sexist remark that caused a public uproar, broadcasting company Eurosport almost immediately removed the offender from its commentary team at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The comments came after the women’s 4x100m freestyle Australian relay team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris won gold.
In a clip that went viral on social media, the team members were making their way off the pool deck when, according to a BBC report, Ballard said the women swimmers were “finishing up” and “you know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make-up.”
A female colleague, believed to be fellow commentator and former Olympian Lizzie Simmonds, replied: “Outrageous, Bob. Some of the men are doing that as well?” Ballard laughed in response.
Addressing the controversy on X, Ballard wrote: “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 apologise. 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.”
He also begged his fans to stop sending hate to Simmonds.
“She has nothing to do with this,” he wrote.
No official word about what the Australian swimmers thought of Ballard’s remark, but Eurosport, Ballard’s employer, released a pretty cut-and-dry statement.
“During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,” the television network said in a statement. “To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.”
Australia won a fourth consecutive gold in the event with a time of 3min 28.92sec, with McKeon winning a sixth gold medal to become the country’s most decorated Olympian.
It’s not clear how long it takes the team to “hang around and do their make-up,” though.
