Bruce McAvaney lands 11th hour commentary role in massive development for Paris Olympics

Australian sports fans will be able to hear Bruce McAvaney's iconic commentary of the Paris Olympics after all, with the ABC revealing the legendary caller will be part of their radio coverage for the Games. With McAvaney working for Channel 7 and the Olympics on Channel 9 this year, it looked like we wouldn't be hearing his iconic voice.

But the ABC announced on Monday that they'd struck a deal with the 71-year-old to call some of the action for radio listeners. That came after Channel 9 signed a sub-licensing agreement with ABC Local Radio last week to broadcast the Games in select markets on ABC stations where they don't compete directly with Nine-owned radio stations.

The stations included in the deal are 891 ABC Adelaide, 105.7 ABC Darwin, 936 ABC Hobart, 666 ABC Canberra and DAB+ channels in those markets. Local ABC stations across regional, rural and remote Australia are also included in the deal and will feature McAvaney's commentary.

“I’ve always thought the Olympics was the ultimate event for an Australian broadcaster," McAvaney said in a statement. "To be given this opportunity by the ABC means a great deal to me. These Games will be as exciting as any. We have a 75-strong athletics team – our biggest ever we have sent overseas. I’m very optimistic they’re ready to achieve great things.”

Earlier this year, Channel 7 were forced to deny reports they'd blocked McAvaney from working with Nine for the Games. McAvaney also rubbished the suggestions when it came to light that he wouldn't be part of Nine's commentary team. The Seven Network denied reports they "dug their heels in" in regards to releasing McAvaney to join a rival network, labelling those claims "completely incorrect".

Bruce McAvaney to continue legendary Olympics career

McAvaney is one of the most famous voices in Australian sport and first called the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He has covered 12 Olympics as a commentator, and provided some of the most iconic moments in Australia's sporting history at the Games. His call of Cathy Freeman's gold medal triumph in the 400m at the Sydney Olympics will live long in the memories of sporting fans around the country.

McAvaney has scaled back his commentary commitments in recent years and no longer calls the AFL with Channel 7. He still leads the Seven Network's horse racing coverage and called the Canberra Track Classic and Maurie Plant athletics meets in February.

Channel 9 have turned to Gerard Whateley of Fox Footy and SEN to fill the void left by McAvaney. Whateley has successfully lobbied Fox Footy and SEN for a one-off release for the three-week event in Paris and will head-up Channel 9's coverage.

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Whateley shadowed McAvaney as he called the athletics at the Maurie Plant meet in February, and holds the 100m final at the Olympics as a 'bucket-list' item to commentate. The veteran media is following in the footsteps of Eddie McGuire, who has been allowed to work across a variety of networks while contracted to others in recent years.

Dave Culbert and Tamsyn Manou will be part of Nine's commentary team after working alongside McAvaney at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The likes of Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, Sarah Ryan, Simon Orchard, Brad McGee, John Alexander, Quentin Hull and Corbin Midlemas will all join McAvaveny on ABC radio.