A veteran sports commentator has been sacked from his Olympics role after making a sexist remark about Australian female swimmers following their gold medal win.
As the 4x100m freestyle relay team were making their way off the pool deck in Paris, Bob Ballard said they were “finishing up”, adding “you know what women are like… hanging around, doing their make up”.
The clip quickly went viral and broadcaster Eurosport later said he had been removed from the commentary line-up.
Ballard has yet to comment publicly on his remarks.
Yesterday during women’s volleyball (Czech Republic vs USA) an American announcer said “Czechoslov……. Czechia…” I haven’t heard anyone upset about it yet, but I was expecting to.
Definitely less offensive than being chatty about “ladies and their silly lady habits lololol!”
I can’t speak for them (too well), but imagine that up until 30 years ago the US was one country with Canada under the name of… I don’t know, the United Canastates, and as you’re watching your favourite olympic sport rooting for your favourite player, someone introduces them as someone from the United Cana… Can… United States.
To be fair, even after typing this out I wouldn’t be outraged, just slightly irked, but we’re all different.
I don’t know whether this is a joke or not (Poe’s law and all), so I will assume this is a genuine question:
Because they were about to say Czechoslovakia, I’d assume. The country that hasn’t existed anymore for a long time.
edit: grammar fix
It was sincere. I’m American, and the US didn’t officially adopt the “Czechia” name until 2021. The only reason I knew about it was because I noticed the name on Apple Maps (which apparently added it in 2020) and asked a European friend about it. I literally told my mother and sister about it a month ago and they had no idea.
I have no idea why “Czechoslovakia” often remains in the mindshare of Americans but I’d guess it’s to do with WWII in history books, and the fact that Czechia is rarely ever a topic of conversation. "Czechoslovakia” was apparently dropped in the 1940s. Recent enough that people’s grandparents might never have known. Information didn’t flow as fast or freely back then. I was born in the 80s, and I know I had to look up the difference between the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia at some point.
The announcer guy, I promise it was a slip up and no intent of disrespect. He corrected himself. And in whose interest would it serve to be disrespectful towards Czechia anyway? There’s no incentive, is there?
I’m glad we are free of this monster.
Man, not even a GOOD sexist comment!
I mean, if you’re going to flame out your career, go big… “She may have come in 3rd, but look at that ass though!”
No chest and often no butt. It’s kind of a specific body type that’s suited to swimming.
This guy is out for being a dick but it’s fine to have an olympic rapist. I don’t get it.
Do you think all these people work for Mr Olympic or something? What don’t you get?
I don’t get society. It seems to me that if respecting women and girls was actually something people cared about then the rapist would be gone. Instead we get this virtue signalling. They’ll put a rapist on the stage and cheer for him but one sexist remark and you’re off. It’s just lies.
I don’t know if you get this, but the Netherlands and Australia Britain are different societies. Who do you think is lying?
Good! Now ban the rapist Dutch volleyball player!
