He made an “inappropriate comment” during a broadcast, the broadcaster said. “For this reason, he has been removed from our commentary schedule with immediate effect.” Ballard later said on the X platform that he had not intended to upset or disparage anyone and apologized if it had happened.
Heavy criticism online
In his live commentary on the swimming competitions at the Summer Games in Paris, the journalist made a comment about Australian swimmers who had previously won gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. “The women have just finished. You know how women are: they hang around and put on makeup,” he said. This statement was widely criticized on social media.