Commentator Apologizes After Being Pulled from Olympics Broadcast for Making 'Inappropriate' Remark About Female Swimmers

A broadcaster who was removed from Eurosport's 2024 Summer Olympics coverage following what its audience has deemed to be a sexist remark about Australia's women's swim team has issued an apology on social media.

"Right here it is the statement pt 1: The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offence," longtime swimming commentator Bob Ballard posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday, July 29. "It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologise. I am a massive advocate of women’s sport."

In "part two of [his] statement," he added, "I shall miss the Eurosport team, dearly and wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympics. No further comment will be issued. Thank you."

A day prior, on July 28, multiple outlets — including The Independent, Deadline and the New York Post — reported that Ballard made an inappropriate comment about the Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team the day before.

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“Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like… hanging around, doing their makeup," Ballard reportedly said after the women won a gold medal in the event, and as they were exiting the Paris Aquatic Centre.

Per Deadline, fellow commentator Lizzie Simmonds called Ballard's comment "outrageous." From there, Eurosport reportedly removed Ballard from its coverage, releasing a statement to The Independent.

“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 statement read.

Ballard has yet to publicly address the reported removal as of Sunday afternoon. He did, however, reply to a post on X on Sunday from Eurosport's Laura Winter, who shared some updated swimming coverage. "Have a great one," he wrote in response.

Eurosport did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information on Sunday.

The gold medal-winning Australian team consists of Emma McKeon, Meg Harris, Shayna Jack and Mollie O’Callaghan — all of whom helped to set an Olympic record of 3:28.92 and secured their team's third-consecutive gold placement in the event.

While the U.S. trailed just behind Australia in its historic relay victory on Saturday, American Torri Huske was able to secure gold in another event. Just edging out Team USA teammate Gretchen Walsh, 21-year-old Huske won the women’s 100-meter butterfly race — marking the first time in 40 years that Team USA has gone one and two in the event.

"I think I executed the race as best as I could. I left it all out there in the pool," Walsh told reporters after the competition. "It might not have been the time that I was necessarily looking for, but to even medal at my first-ever Olympics is something that I don't think many people get to say, and I'm honored. Truly, I'm so proud of Torri. I think that she has worked so hard for that."

Also on Saturday, Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky officially became an 11-time Olympic medalist when she won bronze in the women's 400-meter freestyle race.

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