Commentator sacked after sexist comment on Aussie swim team
EuroSport commentator Bob Ballard has been removed from his duties following a controversial remark directed at Australia's women's 4x100m freestyle relay team. The incident occurred as the team celebrated their gold medal win on Sunday.
During the medal ceremony, Ballard made a comment that quickly drew widespread criticism: "Well, the women just finishing up," he said. "You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their make-up." Despite attempting to laugh off the remark, his co-commentator, Lizzie Simmonds, immediately labelled it "outrageous". The comment soon went viral, leading to swift action from EuroSport.
By Monday morning, EuroSport had announced that Ballard was relieved of his commentary duties. In a statement, the network 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."
Ballard is a seasoned broadcaster with a career spanning several decades and multiple Olympic Games.
The incident overshadowed what was a celebratory moment for Australian fans. The quartet of Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris clinched gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay with a time of 3:28.92, continuing Australia's dominance in the event for the fourth consecutive Olympics.
As the Paris Olympics continue, Ballard will be watching from the sidelines, his remarks coming at a time when the International Olympic Committee is promoting the Games as "The Equal Games".
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