A BBC commentator got corrected live on air on Thursday when he welcomed American shot putter Raven Saunders to the Paris Olympics with the wrong pronoun.
The non-binary American likes to compete as their alter ego “the Hulk,” with full face mask, sunglasses, green and purple dyed hair, and long bedazzled nails.
Making their international return to competition after an 18-month suspension for missing drugs tests, Saunders took to the field for qualifying in the women’s shot put.
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Commentator Steve Backley, a former world record holder in the javelin, was at the mic for the BBC for the return of what he called the “colorful character.”
“Good to see her back, sort of—sort of see her, I mean,” Backley said, referring to the fact that Saunders’ mask was obscuring their face.
Co-commentator Jazmin Sawyers interrupted to correct his pronouns. “Well we can’t see them very well,” she said. “Raven Saunders is actually non-binary, and wearing the mask there, I’m quite used to seeing them with interesting attire.”
Saunders was still identifying as female won a silver medal in the women’s shot put at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, but made a splash when they raised their arms in an X on the podium in what they later described as a show of support for oppressed people and the LGBTQ community.
Raven’s final throw of 18.62m qualified them for Friday’s final.
Of their outfit, Saunders said: “I’m in full form. I had to remind the people, I am who I am.”
