The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is barely underway, but we already have an announcing controversy. That comes from the Australian Channel Seven (broadcast TV) coverage of their own team, with announcer David Basheer making quite the remark on Matildas’ midfielder Katrina Gorry.
Gorry has been a key figure for Australia since making her national team debut at 19 in 2012. But she missed the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (actually held in 2021 thanks to COVID-19) due to pregnancy, giving birth to daughter Harper that year. She’s been back with the Matildas since last year, though, and is again an important part of their squad. And after Australia’s Stephanie Catley scored on a 52nd-minute penalty in the Matildas’ opener against the Republic of Ireland Thursday morning, Basheer commented on the celebrations, and said “The smile says it all from Katrina Gorry. Certainly motherhood has not blunted her competitive instincts, that’s for sure.” That took a lot of Twitter criticism. Here’s some of that:
Can the male commentating the Matildas Ireland game please refrain from suggesting it’s great a player’s competitive instinct hasn’t changed since she had a child? Why on earth would a woman’s sporting drive change through childbirth? You wouldn’t say it to a father playing sport
— Victoria Fielding (@DrVicFielding) July 20, 2023
"Motherhood has not blunted her competitive instinct" fucking seriously @Channel7 @7plus Take this fucking dinosaur of a commentator off the air. It's the women's world cup, maybe don't have a man with archaic views talk. FFS. #AUSvIRL #Matildas
— cinegirl 14📺 (@cinegirl14) July 20, 2023
https://twitter.com/VanessaLiell/status/1682129485884432384
Oh how lovely. David Basheer letting us know he's just another ignorant male child. Is there even one commentator on Channel 7 these days that is not a complete and utter ignoramus? No, I didn't think so. #auspol #FIFAWWC #Matildas https://t.co/6genGul4vb
— Jenny Frecklington-Jones #VotedYes ❤️💛🖤 (@JonesHowdareyou) July 20, 2023
First red card of the #FIFAWWC:
Ch7s David Basheer’s commentary regarding Matildas Katrina Gorry:
“Certainly motherhood has not blunted her competitive instincts, that’s for sure.”
Hope he gets to miss the whole tournament. @Channel7
— Solo Monk (@JJKALE2) July 21, 2023
Basheer is a long-time figure in Australian soccer, and is particularly known for his Special Broadcasting Service public broadcaster commentary from 2007-2018. He’s also worked in radio, for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, for ESPN Star Sports, and beyond.
If Basheer had merely commented on Gorry’s return to play not long after giving birth, there probably wouldn’t have been much controversy here. But the way he chose to do so with “motherhood has not blunted her competitive instincts” certainly caused a stir. And it’s the second notable controversy this week around male announcers’ commentary on women’s sports, following Italy’s RAI suspending announcers Lorenzo Leonarduzzi and Massimiliano Mazzucchi over sexist and racist remarks on athletes at the World Aquatics Championships.
[Pedestrian.tv; Basheer image from a 2020 interview with The Informer]
