NBC’s snowboarding commentator sparked controversy during the 2026 Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics broadcast by criticizing the event as boring.
On February 8, major U.S. media outlets, including USA Today and Yahoo Sports, reported that Todd Richards, NBC’s snowboarding analyst, was caught on a hot mic saying boring immediately after the men’s snowboarding big air final.
The reports revealed that Richards said, “It’s boring. Really boring. The qualifiers were much more entertaining,” just before the broadcast switched to a preview of figure skating.
Viewers expressed outrage over Richards’ unintended on-air comments. In response, Richards took to social media to clarify that he had no intention of criticizing the athletes and apologized if his remarks came across as disrespectful.
Nevertheless, Richards stood by his assessment of the final, stating that many athletes fell during the final, and most repeated the same tricks. The qualifiers showcased a variety of techniques and creativity, but the final was disappointing in comparison.
In the men’s snowboarding big air event, Japan’s Kira Kimura clinched the gold medal. His compatriot Ryoma Kimata secured silver, while defending champion Su Yiming from China rounded out the podium with bronze.