Olympics commentator fired immediately after ‘outrageous’ sexist comment

An Olympics commentator has been fired after he made a sexist comment about Australia's female swimmers.

The Olympic broadcaster, Eurosport, has removed Bob Ballard from its commentary team after the remark he made over the weekend.

On Saturday evening (27 July), the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team - comprised of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris - won gold.

In a clip that has since gone viral on social media, the former BBC commentator could be heard saying: "Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their makeup."

Following his remarks, Ballard’s co-commentator, Lizzie Simmonds, called the remark 'outrageous' before adding: "Some of the men are doing that as well."

People have since rushed in to share their reactions to the 'shocking' comments.

One TikTok user penned: "SO frustrating that this STILL happens."

"I’m glad someone else caught this I was SHOCKED," wrote a second while a third wondered: "How are these comments still being made??"

A fourth declared: "This is shocking in 2024!!!!!"

"Comments like this aren’t okay and need to be flagged up!" urged a fifth while another echoed: "It's infuriating that this sort of talk is not shut down."

Eurosport has since released a statement following Ballard's comments which reads: "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."

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Ballard, who has been covering sports since the 1980s and has reported on multiple Olympic Games and World Championships, is yet to comment publicly on the sacking.

Australia won a fourth consecutive gold in the event with a time of 3:28.92, with McKeon wining a sixth gold medal to become the country’s most decorated Olympian.

Speaking to Nine, McKeon, who now plans to retire from the Olympics, said: "I tried not to think about it too much before... Just emotional.

She added: "I definitely hoped that that would've been better, but I know I've got a lot to be proud of and I think it's always going to be emotional finishing something that has brought me so much joy and so many great relationships and so many life lessons.

"I've got so many fond memories of swimming ... I just feel privileged to be here ... this is my fifth time out here already and it's only day two. I feel so lucky.

"So I am looking forward to the time when I can really look back on it all. I've already got so many great people around me that have already been through similar things, like my brother, who finished up swimming about three or four years ago.

"I've got a lot of people to support me."

Tyla has reached out to Bob Ballard's representatives for comment.

Team GB medal count - 4

Silver medalists

• Anna Henderson: Cycling - Women's individual time trial
• Adam Peaty: Swimming - Men's 100m breaststroke

Bronze medalists

• Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen: Diving - Women's synchronised 3m springboard
• Kimberley Woods: Canoe - Women's slalom