Despite Outcry, Axing Bob Ballard for His Sexist Olympics Commentary Was the Right Call

Eurosport commentator Bob Ballard has been axed from the network’s Olympic coverage after making a sexist joke about the Australian women’s swim team. Predictably, people are more outraged over his firing than that women competing at the highest level of their sport are still subjected to sexist jokes.

The 2024 Paris Olympics recently commenced but didn’t make it even one day before a commentator made a sexist comment about several female athletes. On July 27, Australia’s women’s relay team won the gold mental in the 4×100 freestyle relay race. It marks the fourth time in a row Australia has taken home gold in this event, leading to many labeling the women’s relay team “undefeatable” and “untouchable.” While most were celebrating this team’s incredible victory, a man couldn’t help himself and just had to throw in an unnecessary sexist jab.

What did Bob Ballard say about the Australian women’s swimming team?

For some reason, Ballard seemed to have a problem with the women’s relay team remaining at the swimming venue for a bit to celebrate their victory, so he made a tired sexist joke about them. He stated, “Well, the women are just finishing off. You know, women are like, hanging around, you know, doing their makeup.” His fellow commentator, Lizzie Simmonds, a former Olympian, immediately scolds him, telling him his comment is “outrageous,” especially since the male athletes do the same thing. However, Ballard only laughed at her scolding.

It didn’t take long for the comment to go viral on social media, with many expressing outrage that comments like these are happening at the Olympics of all places.

The outrage was justified. It’s a sexist joke reiterating the tired stereotype that women always take a long time to do their makeup. On top of that, he made this joke in a venue with four Australian women who are the top swimmers in their entire country—proving themselves to be some of the best in the world—and who just secured an enormous victory for Australia. Seriously, Australia’s women’s swimming team just established a 4-year gold medal streak in the 4×100 relay, and the only thing Ballard can think of to say about them is a humorless, sexist joke? As Simmonds said, it’s simply “outrageous.”

Was Ballard fired from Eurosport?

After the incident, Eurosport released a statement condemning Ballard’s “inappropriate comment” and confirming he had been removed from the Olympics’ “commentary roster,” effective immediately.

Following the announcement, Ballard released a statement via X. However, it wasn’t quite an apology, as he didn’t even admit that his comment was sexist and out of line, only that he was sorry some people found it offensive. He also acknowledged his removal from the Eurosport team and wished them the best for the remainder of the Olympics. It remains unclear if he was only dropped from Olympic coverage or removed from Eurosport entirely.

Unfortunately, the announcement hasn’t sparked relief that the Olympics is making a clear example of its intolerance of sexism. Instead, it has led to an outpouring of support for Ballard, as many on the internet insist that his joke wasn’t sexist and that he shouldn’t have been removed for it. Many media outlets reporting on the story have emphasized how Ballard is such an experienced and respected sports broadcaster, with BBC labeling him “a stalwart of global sports coverage since the 1980s.” Similar takes like this have arisen, with 365 Radio and countless X users releasing ignorant statements about how he’s such a great guy, his joke was perfectly acceptable, and he needs to be reinstated at Eurosport.

Plenty of conservatives, who wanted to cancel the entire Olympics because its opening ceremony featured drag, immediately jumped at the chance to start crying that the “woke mob” canceled Ballard for no reason. It’s sad that on the rare occasion an organization actually stands up for women, it immediately sparks outcry. The Olympics absolutely made the right call to axe Ballard. His past work and supposed good character are entirely irrelevant. He made a sexist joke against some incredible female athletes at the Olympics, which is being watched by millions of boys and men who need to learn that sexism isn’t “funny.”

It has truly become exhausting how no event made to highlight women’s achievements, whether it’s the Olympics, the top awards shows in Hollywood, or even a college graduation ceremony, can ever go even a few minutes without men bringing out the misogynistic jokes and speeches. Men need to learn that they don’t always have to say something dismissive when discussing women. Sometimes, they can actually just let incredible and talented women have their moment without having to immediately minimize their achievements.

The Olympics axing Ballard finally sets an example to other men in hosting and broadcasting positions to actually think about what they say before opening their mouths and making some insensitive and ridiculous comments about women.