Former Australian swimmer turned radio commentator Leisel Jones has issued a tear-jerking statement on air this morning in the wake of Marty Sheargold’s appalling comments about female sport.
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His show did not air on Wednesday afternoon and Triple M has since made the call to part ways with Sheargold, with the station announcing they had “mutually agreed” to the decision.
“Southern Cross Austereo takes its responsibility to listeners, shareholders and clients seriously and its programming should align with the standards and expectations of its audience,” SCA Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron said in a statement.
“Right now, it’s clear this is a moment for reflection and review. Triple M, and the wider SCA network, will continue to take all necessary steps to support staff.”
Sheargold said: “Having mutually agreed to part ways with the Triple M Network, I fully understand the gravity of my comments.
“I’d like to sincerely apologise to the Matildas and the broader organisation. I would also like to thank my immediate team for their hard work and apologise for the situation they now find themselves in.”
Matildas interim coach Tom Sermanni said sports teams were “used to criticism” but Sheargold’s comments “crossed the line”.
“It’s completely unnecessary and generally outrageous, and, it’s something that from a behavioural perspective, is really very, very disappointing,” he said.
“For me, it’s not so much about sexism and misogyny, in a sense, although that’s unacceptable – let me make that clear.
“It’s what the comments were. The comments just crossed the line. They were just basically out of order and very, very unnecessary.
“Our team is obviously a very high-profile team, and being a high-profile team, you do take criticism, you do create criticism sometimes very near the edge, but sometimes that just goes over the edge, and those comments did that.”
Jones, 39, a nine-time Olympic medallist who co-hosts Triple M Breakfast on the Gold Coast, admitted to listeners she found it hard to front up to work on Wednesday after Sheargold made disparaging comments about the Matildas and women’s sport on his own Triple M show Monday afternoon.
Jones revealed she had been ambushed by dozens of negative comments on her Instagram account in the aftermath from people questioning why she hadn’t taken a stand on Tuesday’s show.
Speaking on-air Wednesday morning, an emotional Jones said she felt “extremely sick” by Sheargold’s comments, while also feeling forced to address why she was yet to talk about the controversy.
“I’m not going to cry. I’m not going to cry,” Jones, who was audibly sobbing, began.
“The comments are so hurtful against women’s sport that The Marty Sheargold Show shared. And obviously I’ve been quite upset all morning, and I was upset when I came in. I’ve been on and off the show all morning.
“It’s a very tricky position to be put in when Triple M is my place of employment, and obviously I love working on the show and I find it incredibly challenging to be put in a position where I become the unofficial spokesperson for women in sport.”
She continued, “Obviously, everyone would know I was a woman in sport. I’ve competed at the top level for women in sport and I am one of the biggest supporters. And when I woke up this morning and I came to work, I was bombarded with messages of why I wasn’t responding, why I didn’t say anything on social media.
“And I think a lot of people need to understand that it’s very hard when you’re in this position to say the things that you would really like to say. I would love to say all of these things. I have so many things inside that I would love to say I am the biggest supporter of women in sport.”
That aside, Jones went on to speak directly to the “little boys or girls” who might have heard Sheargold’s comments on their drive home from school.
“Please know that you are welcome to play sport … Sorry, I’m upset,” she said, her voice breaking.
“You are welcome to play sport to whatever level. You don’t have to be a midfielder. You don’t have to be an Olympian. You just play sport because sport is so wonderful.
“The biggest thing we could ask for is men to be on our side, when it comes to women in sport, because it’s always an uphill battle. To be paid less, to get less coverage, to not get the credit they deserve.”
Finally, Jones issued a message to the Matildas, who were the main target of Sheargold’s spray, saying, “I think it’s so important to know they are inspiring, no matter what level they get to. Please know you are inspiring so many people.”
Sheargold’s controversial comments came after the Matildas kicked off their campaign in the annual SheBelieves Cup with a heavy 4-0 defeat to Japan on Friday, and then followed up with a 2-1 loss to the US three days later.
“There’s something wrong with the Matildas,” Sheargold said on Monday’s show.
“They had that wonderful tournament out here where we all fell in love with them, even though they didn’t make the quarters.
“You know what they remind me of? Year 10 girls,” Sheargold continued.
“All the infighting and all the friendship issues, ‘the coach hates me and I hate bloody training and Michelle’s being a b**ch’.
“Now I’m sorry to undermine the whole sport, but that’s what I think of it so you can stick it up your arse.”
Co-host Will Ralston attempted to continue reading the news, referencing the name of the tournament, which prompted Sheargold to say, “Oh, she believes in what? It better be men.”
Ralston continued with the sports report, saying, “We’re 12 months out from Australia hosting the Women’s Asian Cup, so hopefully we have a better runway to improve before that comes around.”
Sheargold responded, “Oh god. The Asian Cup. I’d rather hammer a nail through the head of my penis than watch that … Got any men’s sport?”
The 53-year-old later responded to the backlash on social media in a statement released by the radio network.
“Any comedy, including mine, can miss the mark sometimes, and I can see why people may have taken offence to my comments regarding the Matildas. I sincerely apologise,” he said.
A spokesperson for Southern Cross Austereo, Triple M’s parent company, also said, “Marty Sheargold’s comments regarding the Matildas — made during Triple M Drive on Monday, 24 February — do not align with Triple M’s views and values, and Triple M remains steadfast in its strong support of all women’s and men’s sports.
“We are sorry for any offence caused.”
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