2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
- Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
- Open Water Swimming: August 8-9, 2024
- La Defense Arena – Paris, France
- LCM (50 meters)
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- Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
- Finals Live Recaps: Day 1, Day 2
While plenty of high-octane action is taking place in the pool at the 2024 Olympic Games, some drama is also unfolding outside the lane lines.
After the Australia women’s 400 free relay secured gold on the opening night and were preparing to stand on the podium, Eurosport’s commentator Bob Ballard quipped on-air: “Well the women are just finishing up. You know what women are like…hanging around, doing their makeup.”
Ballard’s commentating partner, former Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmonds, responded: “Outrageous, Bob. Some of the men are doing that as well?”
Veteran Commentator Bob Ballard has been removed from his role as at the Olympics after making this remark about Australia’s women swimming team. The comment was considered sexist and Mr Ballard has since been sent home. Harsh or fair? #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/bTKjxFVZ3p
— Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo (@Fentuo_) July 29, 2024
Ballard was absent from the next day’s broadcast booth as Eurosport dropped the longtime Olympic coverage presence.
“During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,” Eurosport said in a statement, per The Independent. “To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.”
Ballard has since released a statement on X, stating: “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. 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.”
Ballard was replaced by broadcaster Laura Winter, and commented “Have a great one” under a post from Winter previewing Day 2 finals on X.
Get @eurosport @WBDsports on NOW! Historic night in the pool ahead #Paris20254 pic.twitter.com/SInGj7NArt
— Laura Winter (@lauracwinter) July 28, 2024
Ballard has been commentating on sports for more than four decades, with his career dating back to the mid-1980s with long stints at Eurosport and BBC. He has commentated on sports including swimming, diving, ice hockey, tennis, basketball, water polo, football, and cricket.
PC should be outlawed.
Was a goofy comment but is he even wrong ? It’s relatable that women take forever and do makeup trying to get ready . Just a weird time to say it lol . Men can joke with each other about anything and it brings us closer , when will men learn not to joke around with or about women ? It’ll cost you everything . Fellas just keep it to ourselves and we will be okay.
Send AVD home and hire this guy for the USA prelims feed. I’d take a little dark humor over her endless nonsense any day… I still can’t believe she didn’t know the m/s data represented meters per second, and that somehow she thought that Marchand was going to break the world record by 2 seconds when he was 4 seconds off pace.
a silly, redundant comment for sure. was it sexist? yes, definitely, but on a scale from 1-100 it was like a 1.
getting fired for this really isnt justified, UNLESS he has made similar comments like this in the past, was warned and told to stop, but continued. that would be the only fair scenario, otherwise just talk to him and have him publicly apologize and we can all be friends again yay
Absolutely ridiculous, it was a harmless joke. More evidence of the stupidity of wokeism
Said the sexist guy just doesn’t get it.
Speaking of offensive. Check that username…
Soft world
You’d think discovering the Titanic would be the lowest he’d go, smdh
Top tier comment right here
Quick and witty response by Lizzie. Nicely done.
The minds of the offended run wild/spiral out of control…rather than controlling emotion and saving the “fight” for a battle that actually matters.