A broadcaster for Eurosport was removed from covering the Paris 2024 Olympics after he made a seemingly sexist comment about the Australian women’s swimming team.
Bob Ballard was heard making a comment about knowing “what women are like,” adding that they were “hanging around, doing their make-up” after the Australian women’s swim team had just won the gold in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay, according to the Independent.
The Australian women’s swimming team set a record of 3:28:92, while the American’s women swim team set a time of 3:30:20 and received a silver, according to NBC Olympics.
The win also represented the Australian team’s fourth consecutive time winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Well, the women just finishing up,” Ballard was heard saying. “You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make-up.”
Day two about to rock and roll in the swimming in Paris – every race live on @discoveryplusUK and the best action on @eurosport with @LizzieSimmonds1 and my ‘good’ self. pic.twitter.com/UUsUACEbIu
— Bob Ballard (@bobballardsport) July 28, 2024
In response to Ballard’s sexist remarks, Eurosport issued a statement that Ballard had been “removed” from the network’s “commentary roster” immediately.
“During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,” Eurosport’s statement said, according to the outlet. “To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.”