Sacked Olympic commentator Bob Ballard has hit back at his bosses after being sent home for a “sexist” comment about Australian female swimmers.
Ballard, 64, lost his commentary spot after saying the Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team were late leaving the swimming venue because they were “doing their make-up”.
The Australian quartet of Emma McKeon, Shayna Jack, Mollie O’Calloghan and Meg Harris won gold on Saturday at the Paris Aquatics Centre.
But as they walked out to collect their medals, Ballard said, “Well, the women are finishing up. You know what women are like… hanging around, putting on makeup.”
The clip quickly went viral and caused outrage among some, and Eurosport quickly removed Ballard from its coverage.
But the cancelled world-class swimming and diving commentator criticised his employers for what he thought was a “massive overreaction”.
Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard was banned from the Olympics after his comment
From left to right: Emma Mckeon, Meg Harris, Shayna Jack and Mollie O’Callaghan from Australia
Team Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris with their medals after the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final at Paris La Defense Arena on Saturday.
Eurosport commentators, with Ballard pictured left and Simmonds pictured right
Speaking to Carol Vorderman on LBC, Ballard said his joke was “outdated”.
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Talking to Carol Vorderman about Bank of EnglandHe said: ‘Yes, I’m overwhelmed by the reaction I’ve had from the British public.
“It was a common phrase. Some would say old-fashioned.
“Bob, you’re a grumpy old man,” whatever. It was never my intention to offend or upset anyone.
“I think there’s been an overreaction on the part of my bosses. Obviously, I’m dealing with it as best I can.”
Former Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmonds, who was sitting next to Ballard on the commentary bench, called the comment “outrageous” as it was broadcast live, prompting Ballard to laugh.
At the time, he asked people not to attack Ms Simmonds, saying: “It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and if I did, I apologise.”
“I am a big supporter of women’s sport. I will miss the Eurosport team very much and I wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympic Games.”
“Please don’t blame Lizzie Simmonds,” he added. “She has nothing to do with this.”
The embarrassing comment came as Paris organisers promoted the event as “The Equality Games”, and the IOC celebrated the fact that women now make up 50 per cent of its participants.
Olympic viewers were divided over Ballard’s comments, with some calling for her to leave and others criticising Eurosport’s decision, saying it was “just a joke”.
The majority of MailOnline readers (72 per cent) backed Ballard and did not accept it as a “sexist statement”.
Ballard said he had no intention of “upsetting or belittling anyone” but criticized his bosses.
Emma McKeon, Shayna Jack, Mollie O’Callaghan and Meg Harris celebrate in Paris
A further 23 per cent backed Eurosport’s decision, calling it a “sexist statement”, while 5 per cent of the 55,000 respondents said they were unsure.
Born in September 1959, Ballard has a career spanning more than four decades and has been commentating since the mid-1980s on sports including swimming, diving, ice hockey, tennis, basketball, water polo, football and cricket.
He founded a production company called RHB Productions Ltd, based in Dorchester, Dorset, and has also worked as a music and news presenter on BBC local radio.
He has also previously said that he encountered “a lot of negative things at the BBC when people found out I was gay”.
However, this is not the first time Ballard has had a run-in on the radio. In 2005, during the World Championships in Montreal, he was criticised for being “the most negative journalist”.
“I duly went into the interview position and spent a few awkward minutes on live television being criticised by the national performance director, who accused me of being the most negative journalist,” Ballard told Swimming.org in 2019.
“That came as a surprise to the swimmers, who had always regarded me as a very understanding and objective person. They used it on the Breakfast News, both on the BBC and on ITV the following morning, and the coaches who were there in 2005 never let me forget it.”
