Australian radio host fired over crude comments about women’s soccer team

Australian radio host and comedian Marty Sheargold is out of a job after making crude and dismissive comments about the country’s women’s soccer team. The Triple M Network has parted ways with Sheargold after his remarks sparked backlash, with Football Australia condemning them as “unacceptable.”

So, what did he say?

According to The Athletic and The Guardian, Sheargold compared the women’s national team to “Year 10 girls,” mocked the name of the SheBelieves Cup, and repeatedly questioned whether there was any men’s sport to discuss instead. He took it a step further on his Drive show, saying he’d “rather hammer a nail through the head of [his] penis” than watch Australia’s women’s team compete in next year’s Asian Cup.

“All the infighting and all the friendship issues: ‘The coach hates me, and I hate bloody training and Michelle’s being a b*tch,'” he added via CNN.

Per The Athletic’s Ben Burrows, Triple M’s parent company, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), confirmed on Wednesday that the network had “mutually” agreed to part ways with the 53-year-old comedian.

Football Australia, which had already denounced Sheargold’s comments, released a scathing statement expressing its “deep disappointment,” adding that his remarks “not only diminish the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our women’s national football team but also fail to recognize the profound impact they have had on Australian sport and society.”

Football Australia is deeply disappointed by the unacceptable comments made by Marty Sheargold on Triple M regarding the CommBank Matildas.

— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 26, 2025

While Triple M and Sheargold issued apologies, they weren’t enough to save his job. According to The Athletic, SCA’s chief content officer, Dave Cameron said the situation offers the company a chance “for reflection and review.” Sheargold, for his part, acknowledged “the gravity of his comments” and apologized.

But for some words, you can’t walk them back.

The governing body added, “This incident is a stark reminder of the responsibility media outlets and personalities have in fostering respectful and constructive discussions about women’s sport and its participants. Every comment, every report, and every discussion shape public perception and reinforces our society’s values toward women and girls in sport.”