A longtime sports broadcaster was removed from his role as a Paris Olympics commentator after making a sexist remark during coverage of freestyle relay swimming over the weekend, BBC News reported.
Bob Ballard, a commentator for Eurosport who previously worked as a longtime correspondent for the BBC, said during a swim freestyle relay on Saturday just after the Australian women's team won the gold medal, "Well, the women are just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their makeup."
Ballard's co-commentator, British swimmer Lizzie Simmonds, who competed in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, quickly called the remark "outrageous," to which Ballard laughed.
Eurosport announced Sunday that Ballard was removed.
"During a segment of Eurosport's coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment," the statement reads. "To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect."
Ballard later apologized for his remark on social media.
"The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence [sic.] It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologise. I am a massive advocate of women's sport," Ballard wrote.
"I shall miss the Eurosport team, dearly and wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympics. No further comment will be issued. Thank you."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.