{"id":248954,"date":"2024-07-29T19:13:11","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T19:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/29\/olympics-commentator-removed-over-sexist-remark-hollywood-life\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:13:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:13:40","slug":"olympics-commentator-removed-over-sexist-remark-hollywood-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/29\/olympics-commentator-removed-over-sexist-remark-hollywood-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Olympics Commentator Removed Over Sexist Remark \u2013 Hollywood Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The best of the best\u2014both men and women\u2014currently competing in the 2024 Olympics definitely experience their fair share of comments that trivialize their skill level for various reasons. Most of the time, people who make such slights, assuming they are harmless or claiming they were unintentional, face no consequences.<\/p>\n

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During the swimming competition on Saturday, July 27, after the Australian women\u2019s 4x100m freestyle relay team won the gold medal, the former BBC reporter commented that the women swimmers were \u201cfinishing up\u201d and \u201cyou know what women are like\u2026 hanging around, doing their make-up.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This remark came at a time when the International Olympic Committee is celebrating Paris 2024 as \u201cThe Equal Games,\u201d given that women now make up 50 percent of its participants.<\/p>\n

The clip quickly went viral, and while there is no official word on what the Australian swimmers thought of Ballard\u2019s remark, Eurosport, Ballard\u2019s employer, made their sentiments clear.<\/p>\n

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#WATCH<\/a>: Olympics commentator Bob Ballard was dropped over\u00a0sexist\u00a0comments about women\u2019s swim team. pic.twitter.com\/l8zqGMuEQF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 6ixBuzzTV (@6ixbuzztv) July 29, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cDuring a segment of Eurosport\u2019s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,\u201d the television network said in a statement. \u201cTo that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Monday, July 29, Ballard posted a statement on X<\/a> apologizing if his remarks had offended viewers.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe 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\u2019s sport,\u201d said Ballard, who has been covering global sports since the 1980s and is best known for his coverage of swimming and diving.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The swimmers\u2014Mollie O\u2019Callaghan<\/strong>, Emma McKeon<\/strong>, Meg Harris<\/strong>, and Shayna Jack<\/strong>\u2014were waving to crowds and celebrating the fourth Olympics in a row where Australia has claimed the gold medal in the event when Ballard made his comments.<\/p>\n

His co-commentator and British swimming champion, Lizzie Simmonds<\/strong>, immediately branded his remark \u201coutrageous,\u201d prompting laughter from Ballard.<\/p>\n

In his statement on X, Ballard urged fans not to \u201cpile in on\u201d Simmonds, as some had been quick to attack the ex-Olympic swimmer online.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n