Eurosport’s Bob Ballard Apologizes Over Sexist Remark After Being Removed From Olympics Coverage: “It Was Never My Intention To Upset Or Belittle Anyone”

UPDATE: 04:27 a.m. PT: Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard has apologized for making a sexist remark about Australia’s female swimmers that has seen him dropped from the broadcaster’s coverage.

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Ballard posted the statement to X in the past few minutes, acknowledging that the “comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence.”

“It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologise,” he added. “I am a massive advocate of women’s sport.”

Ballard was dropped after saying about the Australian female swimmers: “Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make-up.”

He said he will “miss the Eurosport team” and will not be commenting further.

PREVIOUS: Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard has been removed from the broadcaster’s coverage of the Olympic Games for a sexist remark about Australia’s female swimmers.

The Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team won the gold, and were making their way out of the Paris Aquatic Centre when the incident happened.

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

Lizzie Simmonds, who was commenting alongside Ballard, described the comment as “outrageous.” She has yet to publicly go beyond that.

Compounding Ballard’s gaffe, Paris organizers have promoted the Olympics as “The Equal Games,” with women now 50% of participants.

A veteran of more than four decades in media, Ballard has covered swimming, diving, and water polo during his broadcasting career.

Eurosport shared a statement with the UK’s The Independent: “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.”

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