An overview shows Australia’s Bronte Campbell (lower C) competing in a heat of the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay swimming event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on July 27, 2024. (Photo by Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP)

“The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Antonin THUILLIER has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: Manan Vatsyayana instead of Antonin THUILLIER. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them.

Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. Most of the time, people who make such slights, assuming they are harmless or claiming they were unintentional, face no consequences. This remark came at a time when the International Olympic Committee is celebrating Paris 2024 as “The Equal Games,” given that women now make up 50 percent of its participants.

The clip quickly went viral, and while there is no official word on what the Australian swimmers thought of Ballard’s remark, Eurosport, Ballard’s employer, made their sentiments clear. [pic.twitter.com/l8zqGMuEQF] — 6ixBuzzTV (@6ixbuzztv) [July 29, 2024]
During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,” the television network said in a statement. In his statement on X, Ballard urged fans not to “pile in on” Simmonds, as some had been quick to attack the ex-Olympic swimmer online.