The departure of star BBC presenter Gary Lineker triggered strong criticism of the British audiovisual group on Saturday and the support of many commentators and political figures for the former footballer who was sanctioned for a tweet in which he criticized the government.
“Lineker riot”, “BBC mutiny”, “The Beebs go too far”… The announcement on Friday night of the temporary suspension of Gary Lineker, former player and host of the hugely popular “Match Of The Day” ‘ provoked such an outcry that it largely overshadowed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to Paris the day before on the front pages of British newspapers.
The former England striker, who has presented the program since 1999, was suspended by the British audiovisual giant after criticizing the Conservative government’s new bill on Tuesday that seeks to prevent migrants arriving via the English Channel from seeking asylum in the UK. Kingdom, a project denounced even at the UN.
It is “cruel policy towards the most vulnerable, in terms not dissimilar to those used by Germany in the 1930s”, he wrote on Twitter, where the 62-year-old former player regularly shares his progressive views with his 8.8 million of followers.
There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) March 7, 2023
wave of support
The BBC had first stated that it would speak to the presenter. On Friday, the audiovisual group ended up deciding “that (Gary Lineker) would stop presenting ‘Match Of The Day’ until we reach a clear agreement with him about the use of social networks”.
Reactions were not long in coming: six commentators announced their withdrawal taking these “circumstances” into account, as well as program advisers such as former England internationals Ian Wright and Alan Shearer.
As a result, due to staff shortages, the midday “Football Focus” program was replaced at the last minute with an antiques buying and selling program, while a restoration program was to be broadcast at 4:30 pm local time (1:30 pm GMT) instead of the “Final Score”.
As for “Match Of The Day”, a veritable institution in the UK where the show has been broadcast since 1964, it remains on schedule this weekend but there will be no review, no presenter, the BBC revealed as a petition for support for the former player exceeds 165,000 signatures.
“We regret these changes and recognize that they are disappointing for BBC Sport fans,” the channel said in a statement. “We are working to resolve the situation.”
On the political level, the audiovisual group’s decision was denounced by several personalities, from the labor opposition to the Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who called the BBC’s position “indefensible”, which, according to her, endangers the freedom of expression in the face of political pressure”.
According to the newspaper The Daily Express this Saturday, a group of 36 British Conservative MPs would have written a letter to the CEO of the group, Tim Davie, to apologize “without reservation” on the part of the presenter.
“The BBC has cast doubt on its own credibility by appearing to cave in to government pressure,” said former BBC director general Greg Dyke.
Impartiality
The BBC has been regularly criticized lately, with accusations that it distorted Brexit coverage and focused on the concerns of urban elites.
The group has since claimed to make impartiality a “priority” and, on government advice, Richard Sharp was appointed in 2021 as chairman of the BBC.
But this appointment has come under fire as the former banker, a well-known Conservative Party donor, allegedly helped former Prime Minister Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan before his appointment.
Gary Lineker, who scored 48 goals for England before his retirement in 1994, has not publicly reacted to the suspension but repeated this week that he fully stands by his words.
Nicknamed “Mister Nice” for his irreproachable behavior throughout his career (he never received a yellow card), he is in the habit of expressing his political positions on social media, in particular against Brexit and in defense of migrants.
Lineker was this Saturday in Leicester, his hometown, where he began his professional career, to witness the match between the “Foxes” and Chelsea, in the Premier League.
The new law, which, according to the government, aims to put an end to the arrival of migrants across the English Channel, was criticized by associations defending human rights and by the UN, which accused London of wanting to “put an end to the right of asylum”.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
