The British broadcaster BBC announced Saturday that its Match of the Day program, which follows Premier League soccer matches, will have no presenter after regular contributors announced their refusal to appear on camera in solidarity with presenter and former footballer Gary Lineker, sidelined for criticizing the British government’s anti-migration policy on Twitter.
Former footballers and contributors Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have expressed their solidarity with Lineker, as has sports journalist and former Arsenal women’s player Alex Scott, also a presenter of the programs Football Focus and Final Score. Sports presenter Kelly Somers will not be working at the BBC, nor will commentators Steve Wilson, Conor McNamara, Robyn Rowen or Steven Wyeth.
Footballers from the 12 Premiership clubs playing on Saturday will not be asked for their usual post-match interviews for the program — although they will be interviewed for BBC Radio — as confirmed on Saturday by the Professional Footballers’ Association, which has pledged to protect players from any reprisals they may suffer for failing to appear on the show.
The PFA has confirmed that »several members have taken a collective stand as a gesture of support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight’s Match of the Day program,» a spokesman for the organization told Sky News.
Lineker, star of the English national soccer team and FC Barcelona during his youth, and until now the highest paid presenter of the BBC, expressed on Tuesday on his personal account of the social network his rejection of the harsh immigration reform proposed by the British government, driven by the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and the Minister of the Interior, Suella Braverman.
This is an immensely cruel policy aimed at the most vulnerable people, using a language that is not far from that used by Germany in the 30s,» denounced the presenter.
The network then held fruitless talks with the presenter, who refused to retract his words, and this Friday decided that Lineker »will take a step back» and will not present the program ‘Match of the Day’ »until we come to an agreed and clear position on his use of social media».
»We have never said that Gary had to be a free ‘zone’ of opinion, or that he cannot have opinions on issues that are important to him, but we have stated that he should move away from taking sides on issues relating to political parties or political controversies,» the BBC statement added.
The former footballer appeared in public this Sunday to attend the match between Leicester and Chelsea, accompanied by his son, where he received numerous gestures of solidarity from fans, many of whom displayed the message »I stand with Gary. Migrants welcome».
OPPOSITION CALLS FOR OPPOSITION OF BBC CHAIRMAN Meanwhile, opposition leader and Liberal Democrat Ed Davey has called for the resignation of BBC chairman Richard Sharp, arguing that the controversy has demonstrated the »failure» of the leadership of the British broadcaster, whose »independence is in serious jeopardy».
We need people who will stand up for our proud values and can resist the Conservative government’s consistently turbulent bullying policies,» he said.
Also the leader of the Labour opposition, Keir Starmer, has protested against the decision of the channel, which he has understood as »an act against impartiality» that has its origin in the failure of the current asylum system defended by the Conservative Party of the Prime Minister.
The British Sports Journalists Association (SJA), which »fully supports its members in their freedom of expression», and »expresses its solidarity in this matter», has also joined Lineker’s support.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
