2024 Olympics: Eurosport removes broadcaster Bob Ballard from coverage for ‘inappropriate comment’ about Australian women swimmers

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European broadcaster Eurosport removed commentator Bob Ballard from its Olympics coverage Sunday following an “inappropriate comment” he made about members of Australia’s women’s swimming team.

Ballard made the comment after Australia’s 4×100 relay team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris won the gold medal Saturday, setting a new Olympic record in the process. They finished ahead of the silver-medal winning U.S. team and China, which won bronze. The Olympic gold medal is the fourth straight for Australia in the event.

Ballard made the comment in question as Australia’s swimmers celebrated with each other with their medals draped around their necks.

“Well, the women just finishing off,” Ballard said. “You know what women are like, hanging around, doing their makeup.”

“Outrageous, Bob,” his broadcast partner Lizzie Simmonds responded. “Some of the men are doing that as well.”

Simmonds is a former European champion swimmer who represented Great Britain in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

The clip went viral and drew criticism on social media, and Eurosport ultimately announced that it had removed Ballard from “our commentary roster.”

Ballard did not issue a public response and was silent on social media as of early Monday morning since his dismissal. Neither Swimming Australia nor its athletes released a response in the aftermath of Ballard’s comments or Eurosport’s decision.

Ballard is a veteran reporter and sportscaster who’s covered the Olympics for multiple European outlets for decades, including BBC. In its coverage of Ballard’s dismissal, the BBC described him as a “stalwart of global sports coverage.”

“Mr. Ballard has been a stalwart of global sports coverage since the 1980s, reporting on multiple Olympic games and World Championships,” BBC’s news story reads. “He has commentated an array of sports including water polo, ice hockey and wheelchair tennis, but is best known for his coverage of swimming and diving.”