Content warning: This article contains mentions of rape.
LAST Sunday, the television broadcaster Eurosport removed commentator Bob Ballard following a sexist comment he made during the Paris Olympics.
This took place during the swimming competition portion, wherein after Australia bagged the gold medal for the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, he said: “Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like: hanging around, doing their makeup.”
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
Co-commentator and former Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmond was quick to call the comment outrageous, adding: “Some of the men are doing that as well.”
People were understandably upset following Ballard’s statement; in a moment showing the dedication and talent of Australia’s swimming team, their well-earned winning moment was reduced to nothing but a sexist joke.
Since then, Ballard has been removed from the event’s commentary roster as per the statement made by Eurosport to U.K.’s Independent, labeling Ballard’s words as an inappropriate comment. Ballard then took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue an apology regarding what he’d said.
“The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence,” he wrote.
“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.”
In a follow-up tweet, he said: “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.”
Reactions online
The reactions of people online have been mixed thus far, with many showing appreciation toward Eurosport for taking action.
“Women can literally be the best in a field, and men like this will still crap all over them because of conditioned toxic masculinity,” said one user.
“It’s like no education or exposure to the world mattered. Ballard has been removed from the broadcaster’s Olympics coverage.”
In a show of support, another user wrote: “He should be sacked The women just achieved a gold medal for Australia and deserved respect, not cheap jokes at their expense.”
Others, however, are saying that firing him was too much for a “harmless joke.”
In a tweet Ballard reposted, X user Iain Dale wrote: “You are the king of swimming commentators and it is outrageous you have been dropped for a single comment, which was clearly jokey. Sending you all good wishes and I hope you will be back in the commentator’s box very soon.”
The decision to remove Ballard, however, has also caused an uproar of even more sexist comments made toward women.
“Women are so f*cking miserable, absolutely insufferable, with no shred of a sense of humor,” one person wrote.
“This is why men don’t want to work with them. One harmless joke and you lose your livelihood. Women are not nice people.”
Others have also stated that this decision was unfair considering the fact that one participant in the Olympics, Van de Velde, is a convicted rapist.
The competitor, who entered the beach volleyball competition, was imprisoned in Britain for four years back in 2016, due to him raping a 12-year-old girl when he was 19.
