Veteran sports commentator Bob Ballard has been abruptly dropped from the Eurosport Olympic coverage after remarks he made about Australia’s female swimmers.

Ballard, who has extensively covered aquatic events during his four decades behind the microphone, made his comments after  the Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team won gold on the opening day of competition.

As the swimmer made their way out of the Paris Aquatic Centre, Ballard said: “Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their make-up.”

Co-commentator and former Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmonds described her colleague’s comment as “outrageous” at the time.

“During a segment of Eurosport’s coverage last night, commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate comment,” Eurosport said in a statement.

“To that end, he has been removed from our commentary roster with immediate effect.”

The Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, affectionately known as ‘the unbeatables’, won a fourth-straight Olympic gold in the event on Sunday.

Emma McKeon added a sixth gold to her glittering collection with the win, an Australian record. She entered Paris with five, the same as Ian Thorpe.

In the final, McKeon, Jack, Mollie O’Callaghan and Meg Harris set an Olympic record of 3:28.92 to win by a whopping 1.28 seconds from the United States.

Also on day one, Ariarne Titmus defended her Olympic 400m freestyle title, Elijah Winnington won silver in the men’s 400m freestyle and the men’s 4x100m freestyle relayers captured a coveted silver medal.

As the Games continue, Ballard will be watching on from the sidelines as Titmus takes on fellow Australian Mollie O’Callaghan as favourites in Tuesday morning’s women’s 200m freestyle final.

Paris 2024 is the first Olympic Games in history with 50 per cent participation of female athletes competing.

“We are happy and proud to celebrate this historic milestone,” IOC Corporate and Sustainable Development director Marie Sallois said of the gender balance.