SYDNEY, Feb 26, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Football Australia condemned Wednesday "inappropriate and unacceptable" remarks by a radio host about their women's team and urged more respectful commentary on women's sport.

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

"Got any men's sport?" he added, to laughter from his co-hosts.

Football Australia acknowledged that Sheargold, a comedian, and the radio network had apologised 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."

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", Australian media reported.

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."