Radio host axed for making 'disgusting' remarks about women's soccer team

A radio host in Australia who made “unacceptable” and “disgusting” comments about the national women’s football team was taken off air on Wednesday, local media reported.

Marty Sheargold was widely criticised after saying on nationwide radio station Triple M on Monday he “would rather hammer a nail” through his penis than watch the Matildas at next year’s Asian Cup at home.

His co-hosts attempted to get the conversation back on track, bringing up the SheBelieves Cup, which the Matildas are currently taking part in. However, Marty continued to dismiss the team, saying: “Oh, she believes in what? It better be men.” He then asked if Sam Kerr and her partner Kristie Mewis “play the same position”

“Got any men’s sport?” he added, to laughter from his co-hosts, and among other barbs said the team reminded him of “year 10 girls”.

Sheargold apologised but his scheduled show on Wednesday did not go to air, ABC News said, reporting that the comedian and Triple M had “mutually agreed to part ways”.

“I fully understand the gravity of my comments,” Sheargold was quoted as saying in a statement.

“I’d like to sincerely apologise to the Matildas and the broader organisation.”

Earlier, Football Australia acknowledged Sheargold and the radio network’s apology but urged “respectful and constructive discussions about women’s sport and its participants”.

“Football Australia is deeply disappointed by the unacceptable comments made by Marty Sheargold on Triple M regarding the Matildas,” it said in a statement.

“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.”

“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,” it added.

Known better as the Matildas, the Australian women’s football team regularly play matches at sell-out stadiums, drawing bigger attendances than the men’s side and generally enjoying more success.

As co-hosts with New Zealand, the Matildas reached the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup in 2023, losing to England in front of a Sydney crowd of 76,000.

“All female athletes deserve to be covered with the same level of professionalism and respect afforded to their male counterparts,” the governing body added.

Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni, who is overseeing the team at the SheBelieves Cup in the United States, called Sheargold’s comments “outrageous” and “completely unnecessary”.

Rosie Malone, who plays hockey for Australia, wrote on Instagram: “It’s 2025 and something like this is being aired on prime time radio... disgusting.”

Minister for Sport Anika Wells called the comments “boorish, boring and wrong”.

“Australia’s most watched television event ever was the Matildas World Cup semi-final; the Tillies’ quarterfinal is the second-most-watched event in Australian history,” Ms Wells said.

Australian Olympian Ambrosia Malone, who represents her country in hockey, also criticised Sheargold.

“All I could think about was the young girls sitting in the car with their parents, maybe on the way to or from their own training sessions hearing this,” she wrote on social media.

“I’m sure many of them would have been hurt and confused… I was in disbelief.

“This is apparently acceptable on mainstream afternoon radio??? HOW??”

Matildas players Alex Chidiac and Clare Wheeler responded to Malone’s Instagram post, with Chidiac saying she was “so sick” of such commentary and Wheeler saying “sport is for everyone and these views are for no one.”