Gary Lineker’s social media dispute with BBC leads to boycott by pundits and potential player media silence.

In a significant development following the ongoing controversy surrounding Gary Lineker, Saturday’s Match Of The Day will be aired without its usual presenters or pundits. The BBC’s decision to temporarily sideline Lineker from hosting the show has triggered a boycott from prominent pundits, including Alan Shearer and Ian Wright, who announced on Friday that they would not participate in this weekend’s programme.

The situation stems from Lineker’s Twitter post in which he compared the language used by the UK Government to launch its new asylum policy to 1930s Germany. This sparked accusations of breaching the BBC’s impartiality guidelines. The broadcaster stated that Lineker’s social media activity had violated its standards, leading to the decision to temporarily remove him from his presenting duties until a clear agreement on his future social media conduct is reached.

Former England internationals Micah Richards, Alex Scott, and Jermaine Jenas, although not scheduled to appear this weekend, expressed their support for their fellow pundits’ decision. In solidarity, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has pledged to back any Premier League players who choose not to engage in post-match interviews with the BBC this weekend. Many players have already sought guidance from the PFA, which has been in contact with Premier League clubs to ascertain a unified stance on the matter.

The BBC’s Director-General, Tim Davie, faced scrutiny over Lineker’s situation, especially since he had previously warned BBC staff about their social media use. When asked why Lineker had not been sacked, Davie stated that the BBC had taken “proportionate action” and emphasised the importance of “constructive discussions” between the broadcaster and Lineker’s team.

In response to the boycott, a BBC spokesperson explained that the match highlights would continue as scheduled but without studio analysis. The BBC reaffirmed that while it expects its presenters to avoid engaging in political matters, it does not expect them to refrain from expressing personal views. The broadcaster’s statement noted that Lineker’s actions were not considered to be a breach of this principle, but his comments were deemed inappropriate within the context of political discourse.

Lineker, however, stood firm in his position, indicating that he would not apologise for his comments, despite the BBC’s concerns. The controversy ignited following his criticism of a government video that unveiled plans to curb migrant crossings in the English Channel, a policy which Lineker deemed “immeasurably cruel.”