Paris Olympics 2024: Former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor hits back at critics of diving commentary

Former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor has hit back at critics of his commentary of diving at the Olympic Games, calling claims his inclusion was disrespectful to athletes as “absolute rubbish”.

Paired with Geoff Marsh and Michael Slater at the top of the order in his playing days and Richie Benaud and Tony Greig for much of his more-than two-decade commentary career, Taylor has found a new partner in diver Sam Fricker — who competed at the 2021 Games and missed out on qualifying for Paris — for calling events as part of Channel Nine’s below par coverage.

Speaking on 2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin, Taylor said he felt privileged to be given the opportunity to work on the Games.

“I had my daughter come home from teaching her class, they said ‘someone said it’s disrespectful to the athletes’. I don’t accept that because I’ve been out, I’ve met all the athletes. About a month ago, I went out to the pool and watched them dive and they were all delighted I’d put my hand up to do it,” he said.

“Sam Fricker, he’s the expert, not me. I’m not a diver, I’m there to do my job which is to give you the scores, which is a bit like cricket.

“It’s not disrespectful, that’s absolute rubbish.”

Social media commentary of Taylor’s selection has been stinging and decried as a “12th Man bit” with viewers saying the network had “jumped the shark”, but he said he was unbothered by the criticism.

“I don’t tend to follow the media all that closely, particularly social media,” he said.

“I knew when I said I’d do this that there’d be ... the naysayers who’d say I shouldn’t be doing it. You know you’re going to get that.”

Taylor also revealed he was calling the action from a studio in Australia, joking he was disappointed to miss out on the “gravy train” to Paris.

“I’m delighted to be involved though ... I’m a cricketer and a commentator on cricket predominantly, but people like me from my era never got a chance to get involved in the Olympic Games because it wasn’t an Olympic sport,” he said.

Cricket is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

Taylor is not the only former athlete to attract controversy after being given a commentary position, with former Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich on the ground in Paris to cover equestrian events.