An Olympics commentator has been dropped from Eurosport's roster because of a sexist comment he made after the Australian women's swim team won the gold medal for the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. After their gold medal win, Mollie O’Callaghan, Emma McKeon, Meg Harris, and Shayna Jack were celebrating, waving to people in the audience, and "making their way off the pool deck," per BBC, when commentator Bob Ballard said, "Well, the women are just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their makeup."
Because of the comment, he will no longer be providing commentary during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Lizzie Simmonds was his co-commentator, per BBC, and quickly called Bob out for the offensive comment. "Outrageous, Bob. Some of the men are doing that as well," she responded. Bob laughed in response. A short clip of this interaction began circulating on social media, and Bob was dropped by European TV network and streaming company Eurosport.
Bob took to social media to address the clip that went viral. "The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence," Bob wrote on X.
"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," he continued.
In a follow-up post, he continued with, "I shall miss the Eurosport team, dearly and wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympics."
Additionally, he told his followers to avoid targeting his colleague Lizzie Simmonds, as "she has nothing to do with this."
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Eurosport confirmed that Bob would no longer be involved in the network's Olympics coverage as a result of the comments he made. "During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment," the network said in its statement. "To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect."
On social media, people had mixed reactions to Bob's comments and subsequent firing.
"Bob Ballard hang your head in shame and get off the broadcast and back to the 1930s," one person wrote on X.
Others thought the decision seemed harsh, calling Bob's comments "an absolutely harmless joke" and "so innocent."
