Broadcaster booted from Olympics over Sexist Comment
Eurosport’s Bob Ballard Tossed Over Inappropriate Comment

Broadcaster Booted from Olympics After Scandal
A media scandal erupted at the 2024 Paris Game Olympics and it resulted in the ouster of Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard in Olympic news. Broadcaster booted from Olympic events was a shocking headline that spread quickly.
“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” The French television network said in a statement. Broadcaster booted from Olympic coverage following inappropriate remarks during a live segment.
Reckless would describe the commentary that came after Australia’s 4 X 100 meter relay team was leaving the Aquatics Center following a gold-medal-winning swim. “Broadcaster booted from Olympic for inappropriate comments” read another headline.
“Well, the women just finishing up” Ballard said. “You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make-up.”
Setting women’s sports back. Bob Ballard:
(video from:thelifeoflyds – TikTok) pic.twitter.com/6SABGUTpfc
— A Gooners View (@AGoonersThought) July 29, 2024

Outrage and Calls for Training Following Ballard’s Inappropriate Comment
A colleague working with Ballard on the broadcast, Lizzie Simmonds, called the comment “outrageous.” And outrage it sparked.
Bob Ballard hang your head in shame and get off the broadcast and back to the 1930s
Commentating for EuroSport he’s used a sexist slur as the Aussie women RIGHTLY celebrated together
“The women just finishing up. You know what women are like, hanging around, doing their make-up” pic.twitter.com/JRpsLUc15m— Emily Benammar (@EmilyBenammar) July 28, 2024
“When will these people ever learn?” asked Loughborough University’s Professor Pragya Agarwal on X. “Why aren’t they being given some training?”
Ballard, a veteran broadcaster, describes himself as a “Broadcaster/commentator on Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Ice Hockey & Wheelchair Tennis. Huge music fan, West Ham & Middlesex CCC supporter & Media Lecturer” on his Twitter account.
What makes the comment exponentially worse is the IOC is celebrating Paris 2024 as “The Equal Games” given women now make up 50% of its participants. Broadcaster booted from Olympic platform due to comments contradicting the spirit of “The Equal Games.”
The Daily Mail recounted this was not the first time Ballard experienced another awkward situation. Ballard previously admitted in 2019 to another embarrassing on-air moment – this one at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal.
“… I duly went to the interview position and spent a few awkward minutes on live TV being lambasted 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 considered me very sympathetic and objective. It was used on Breakfast News, both BBC and ITV the next morning, and I’ve never been allowed to forget it by the coaches who were around in 2005.”
Paris Olympic Organizers Offer Apology
And in another awkward/clumsy moment early in the Olympic Games, the Paris organizers for the Summer Olympics apologized for the segment at the Opening Ceremonies around Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly, we really did try to celebrate community tolerance” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said.
“Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry.”