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PARIS — Swimmers Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris had just clinched gold for Team Australia in the women’s 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay on Saturday night.
Then, as they were leaving the Olympics Aquatic Center, commentator Bob Ballard was heard talking about them on the Eurostar broadcast: “Well, the women just finishing off. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their makeup.”
The commentator's on-air remarks drew sharp criticism on social media for being sexist, and the Olympic broadcaster said on Sunday that it had taken Ballard off of their Olympics coverage.
In a statement shared with multiple media outlets on Monday, Eurostar 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.”
While on air, co-commentator Lizzie Simmonds, reacted to her colleague’s comment, saying: “Outrageous, Bob. Some of the men are doing that as well.”
Ballard’s remarks land at a moment when Olympics organizers are hailing Paris as the most “gender-equal,” Games yet and one that sets a new benchmark for an even split of male and female athletes. The incident also comes one day prior to remarks from an IOC official, Olympic Broadcasting Services CEO Yiannis Exarchos, who on Sunday warned broadcasters against sexist portrayals of female athletes.
Ballard, an experienced sports commentator who previously worked for the BBC and has been a fixture on global sports coverage for decades, apologized for his comments in a statement on social media on Monday, adding that he’s “a massive advocate of women’s sport.”
“The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence,” he wrote in a post on X. “It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologise.”
“I shall miss the Eurosport team, dearly and wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympics,” he added.
The Aussie women, meanwhile, reset their Olympic record for the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay on their way to win the nation’s fourth straight gold in the event.
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