I guess I kind of thought (or hoped) that as I sat refreshing the page along with millions of other Australians during the FIFA Women’s World Cup a couple of years ago, trying my best to get any last ticket for a Matildas game, that so many of the problems women’s sport faces would be over. “Look at you now,” I thought as I imagined all the men who had trivialised and dismissed women’s sport lining up to see the Matildas in real life, hero worshipping Mackenzie Arnold or Caitlin Ford. It was exciting, satisfying.
But, of course, we still face an uphill battle and the proof is in the comments made by Marty Sheargold on Triple M this week about the Matildas and women’s sport in general. The comments were nothing short of infuriating, the kind of infuriating that makes me want to throw a plate at the wall. Because what Sheargold expressed on air embodies everything that women athletes have been fighting against for decades and decades, mostly without any kind of public backlash to force an apology.
Sheargold started by trivialising the women’s game by comparing the Matildas to year 10 girls – calling grown women girls is an age old linguistic trick to justify patronisation of women. Then, he mocks the SheBelieves Cup, which to be completely honest is an awful name for a sporting competition and does have a patronising tone built into the title – these are grown women who are the best in the world at what they do and the tournament name does have an air of high school sports carnival to it. Either way, respect is respect, it doesn’t matter what the tournament is called.
Sheargold then goes on to make comments like, “She believes in what? It better be men,” as he cackles like anyone would find that funny. I’m sorry Sheargold, but tell me about the most watched moments in Australian TV history? Were they men? Or were they women’s sports moments? I’ll give you a hint, it’s not the former. Who should be believing in who at this point?
Sheargold gets increasingly crude, stinking of a radio host holding onto his career for dear life as the times change and folks like him have less and less of a place in the Australian media class. It’s funny actually, that he thought he could just say what he said and nothing would happen. Even 10 years ago, this probably would have been the case, when little rants like his were much more frequent in the public space and largely considered normal. But, this morning the machinery of flack kicked into gear and Sheargold was seen scrambling around trying to deliver an apology. This at least marks a huge change – community outrage is extended to the protection of women’s sport as it becomes more and more embedded into our everyday lives as a sporting nation.
But the outrage can’t just be a moment that passes. It needs to be sustained for proper reform to happen. Will Triple M fire him? We saw an Olympic commentator dismissed last year for sexist comments about women’s swimming. Sheargolds’ comments are far worse than that. Or will the culture of impunity – that has been afforded to those in the media and other sport related institutions who have proliferated sexism against women athletes and others in the industry for years – be upheld by Triple M?
Any change takes time, a lot longer than we really conceptualise when we think about making it. Sometimes being a woman athlete can feel like banging your head against a wall as there is so much more to come than an opposing team or competitive rival. Women’s sport has a whole machinery of controversy around with so many important moments in history tainted by the actions of men who can’t just accept women’s sport for the wonderful thing that it is. So, while sometimes it feels like huge gains are made, this is a reminder that we have so much more fighting to do and we have no choice but to just keep going.
Marty Sheargold’s statement:
“Any comedy including mine can miss the mark sometimes, and I can see why people may have taken offence at my comments regarding the Matildas. I sincerely apologise.”
Triple M’s statement:
“Marty Sheargold’s comments regarding the Matildas made on Triple M Drive on Monday 24th 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.”
Football Australia’s statement:
“Football Australia is deeply disappointed by the unacceptable comments made by Marty Sheargold on Triple M regarding the CommBank Matildas. Such remarks not only diminish the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our women’s national football team but also fail to recognise the profound impact they have had on Australian sport and society.
The CommBank Matildas have inspired a new generation of Australians from young boys and girls to men and women who now see a future for themselves in football and sport more broadly. They have broken barriers, set new standards, and elevated the game to unprecedented heights. Their success has been instrumental in transforming women’s sport in Australia, and they deserve to be covered with the respect and professionalism they have earned.
While we acknowledge the apologies issued by both Triple M and Marty Sheargold, 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.
It is imperative that all media outlets and commentators uphold a standard of respect that reflects the immense contribution of the CommBank Matildas and all female athletes to our sporting culture and Australian story. All female athletes deserve to be covered with the same level of professionalism and respect afforded to their male counterparts.
With just 12 months to go until Australia hosts the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™, we look forward to building on the incredible story of the CommBank Matildas and continuing to elevate women’s football. This tournament will provide another platform to showcase women’s football and further inspire future generations.
Football Australia remains steadfast in its commitment to equality, diversity, and ensuring that the next generation of women and girls in football see a sport that values and respects them.
We appreciate the swift response from Southern Cross Austereo and hope this leads to meaningful conversations about the role of media in shaping public perceptions of women’s football and women’s sport in general.”
Top photo credit: Triple M and AAP
