Eurosport Commentator Axed For Sexist Comments About Australia’s Olympic Gold Medalists

Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard has been axed from the Paris Olympic booth after he made sexist comments about Australia’s gold medal-winning swimming team.

Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay team secured their fourth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Sunday (AEST).

The freestyle relay team, consisting of Mollie O’Callaghan, Emma McKeon, Meg Harris and Shayna Jack claimed an Olympic record time of 3:28.92.

Commentator Ballard made a sexist remark as Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay team collected their gold medals.

“Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their make-up”, Ballard said.

The sexist remark backfired despite Ballard’s attempts to laugh it off as co-commentator Lizzie Simmonds called it “outrageous”.

Sexist Comment Finds Ballard In Hot Water 

Eurosport took Ballard off the broadcasting team the following day, issuing a statement:

“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 veteran commentator, covering swimming, diving, and water polo for more than four decades.

While Ballard has yet to comment on being dropped from the Olympic coverage, he took to X to offer support to his former colleagues for their upcoming broadcasting duties. “Have a great one,” Ballard wrote.

Australia’s Olympic Dreams 

Over 460 Australian athletes are competing for medals in 329 events at this year’s Paris Olympics.

Australia is currently ranked 2nd on the medal tally, winning 4 golds and 2 silvers for cycling, swimming and kayaking.

Swimming has been Australia’s most successful sport at the Olympics, with a total of 221 medals, including 71 golds since Australia’s debut in 1900.

The Australian Olympic swimming team have made quite the splash in this year’s opening games:

• Silver for Elijah Winnington in the men’s 400m freestyle;
• Gold for Ariarne Titmus in the women’s 400m freestyle;
• Gold for the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team;
• Silver for the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team.

Australian swimming star Emma McKeon narrowly missed out on a medal in her final individual Olympic event, finishing sixth in the women’s 100m butterfly at the Paris Games on Monday morning (AEST). Despite falling short of the podium for her solo swim, McKeon is Australia’s most decorated Olympian, amassing a total of 12 medals, including six golds.

Jess Fox took home gold in the women’s canoe slalom K1 final on day two. Fox now becomes the first woman to win four medals in the K1 at four straight Games.

Australian Athletes to Watch  

There are still several Olympic medal hopefuls looking to secure wins over the two weeks.

Kaylee McKeown will look to defend her 100m and 200m backstroke title, and has added the 200m medley to her program after recording the fastest time of the year to date.

Torrie Lewis will make her Olympic debut at Paris 2024, where she’ll compete in the 100m and 200m sprints. She’s already considered the fastest woman in Australia, and the entire country will stop to watch her race given she’s only 19.

Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy is the reigning Commonwealth Games, World, and Diamond League champion. With a record of 4.91m, Kennedy will be one to watch as she seeks to make her Olympic dreams come true.