In a surprising turn of events at the 2024 Olympics, Eurosport has removed commentator Bob Ballard from its coverage after he made an “inappropriate comment” regarding members of Australia’s women’s swimming team.
The incident occurred on Sunday, following the Australian women’s 4×100 relay team’s gold medal win. The team, consisting of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris, set a new Olympic record, finishing ahead of the U.S. team and China.
As the Australian swimmers celebrated their victory with their medals, Ballard commented, “Well, the women just finishing off. You know what women are like, hanging around, doing their makeup.”
His broadcast partner, Lizzie Simmonds, a former European champion swimmer and Olympian for Great Britain, quickly responded, “Outrageous, Bob. Some of the men are doing that as well.”
The clip of Ballard’s comment went viral, sparking widespread criticism on social media. Eurosport responded by announcing Ballard’s immediate removal from their commentary team.
“During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,” read Eurosport’s statement. “To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.”
Ballard, a seasoned reporter and sportscaster with decades of experience covering the Olympics and other global sports events for outlets like BBC, has not publicly responded to the incident. As of early Monday morning, he remained silent on social media.
Neither Swimming Australia nor the athletes involved have commented on Ballard’s remarks or Eurosport’s decision to remove him.
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Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris celebrate after winning the 4×100 freestyle gold medal. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Ballard, described by the BBC as a “stalwart of global sports coverage,” has been a prominent figure in sports journalism since the 1980s, covering multiple Olympic Games and World Championships. He is well-known for his commentary on swimming and diving, as well as other sports like water polo, ice hockey, and wheelchair tennis.