NBC host suggests it's 'challenging' to race slalom after you're married, seriously
Marriage: It'll affect your sporting performance.
Wait, what?
NBC commentator and former U.S. skier Bode Miller has apologised after foolishly suggesting an Olympian's marriage impacted her performance at the Winter Olympics.
SEE ALSO: Figure skating wins gold in the sexual tension Olympics
Speaking of Austrian skier and 2014 gold medallist Anna Veith during Wednesday's broadcast of the women's giant slalom, Miller discussed her changed performance (she finished 15th), saying it was "challenging to race ... with a family or being married."
I mean, he started by mentioning a legitimate hurdle to competition: Veith's ACL injury from 2016, before the World Cup season. But then, he truly divebombed.
"The knee is certainly an issue," he said. "I want to point out she also got married. And it’s historically very challenging to race on the World Cup with a family or being married. Not to blame the spouses, but I just want to toss it out there that it may be her husband’s fault."
If you need help taking that snow shoe out of your mouth, Miller, just holler.
According to NBC, Miller apologised on air immediately afterward, saying it was an “ill-advised attempt at a joke." Couldn't have put it better ourselves.
To be clear I was not seriously blaming Anna Veith's lack of results on her husband. It's a changing of priorities that is historically hard, male or female.
— Bode Miller (@MillerBode) February 15, 2018
“I do apologize,” he said on air. “I was an athlete that competed after marriage, and I know how beneficial it is. I know the support team you need. On Valentine’s Day, I did not mean to throw spouses under the bus, and I’m going to be hearing it from my wife, I know.”
And she won't be alone.
Getting married screws your ability to #slalom? "It might be the husband's fault." Seriously, WTF? @NBCOlympics @nbc #OlympicGames2018
— AllisonB (@maavwik) February 15, 2018
Did the @nbc announcer just say being married hurts women's slalom careers? WTF #OlympicGames2018
— byrdy (@chbyrd75) February 15, 2018
@nbc Giant Slalom commentator just said an athlete's performance may be dependent on that fact that she got married. #WTF #2018 #KMN #FireThatGuy
— Siobhan Connellan (@SioConnellan) February 15, 2018
Olympic women's giant slalom NBC ommentator just said the Austrian skier may not be as good as she used to be because she got married.....really?!!!
— Stacie J Roberts (@StacieRoberts1) February 15, 2018
