Veteran sports commentator Bob Ballard has been removed from covering
the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris after making a sexist
remark about women swimmers on Saturday.
The former BBC reporter was doing on air commentary for
Eurosport on Saturday when Australia's women's 4 by 100 M
freestyle relay team won the gold medal.
As the swimmers were leaving the pool deck,
Ballard said they were finishing up,
adding that you know what women are like.
Hanging around doing their makeup,
Ballard's Co commentator, British Swimming champion Lizzie Simmons,
immediately called his remark outrageous,
to which he responded by laughing.
Australias Molly O'Callaghan, Emma McKeon,
Meg Harris and Shayna Jack claimed the countries 4th consecutive
gold medal in the four by 100 M freestyle relay
after beating teams from the US and China.
On Sunday, Eurosport announced Ballard had been removed from their
Olympic coverage team.
During a segment of Eurosports coverage last night,
commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,
the TV network said in a statement.
To that end, he has been removed from our commentary
roster with immediate effect.
Ballard, who has been doing sports commentary around the world
since the 1980s,
apologized on social media on Monday.
Calling himself a massive advocate of women's sports.
The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory
ceremony on Saturday have caused some offense.
It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone,
and if I did, I apologize.
I am a massive advocate of women's sport.
Ballard said. I shall miss the Eurosport team dearly and
wish them all the best for the rest of the
Olympics.
TMX contributed to this report.