Former U.S. skier and current NBC analyst Bode Miller found himself in hot water after what he called an “ill-advised attempt at a joke” during Wednesday night’s broadcast.
During Austrian skier Anna Veith’s run in the women’s giant slalom event, Miller made a comment about how “challenging” it is for racers to compete after they get married.
“The knee is certainly an issue,” Miller said of the ACL injury Veith sustained in 2016. “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.”
The comments stirred up controversy on social media, and as Miller and Dan Hicks broadcast the men’s downhill race, Miller apologized for what he termed an “ill-advised attempt at a joke.”
“I do apologize,” he said. “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.”
