Fans have been left furious after the BBC stood Gary Lineker down from hosting duties on Match of the Day.
Lineker was criticised by Conservative MPs after tweeting his opposition to the Government's new migration policy, which would make small boat crossings across the English Channel illegal. The former England striker compared the policy to that seen in 1930s Germany, when the Nazi party was at its height.
Though Lineker tweeted he would be hosting this weekend's Match of the Day in the aftermath of the Twitter storm, the BBC have now confirmed he will be taken off hosting duties. A spokesperson said: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days.
We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.
“When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”
The decision have left football supporters furious though, with many now slamming the BBC for bowing to the pressure of the Conversatives. One fan replied to confirmation of the news by simply writing: "Pathetic."
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Another added: "Potentially the worst day in BBC history. The huge job losses in 2005 were dreadful, obviously. But this is the philosophical death knell of the public service broadcaster as we know it. Hard to see how it rescues its credibility from today's decisions."
A third said: "This Gary Lineker story has gone absolutely nuts for no reason. How can they justify it?" A fourth fumed: "Embarrassing."
Others called for a total boycott of Match of the Day by regular presenters and pundits until Lineker is reinstated. One said: "I hope everyone at Match of the Day refuse to present the show until Gary Lineker is reinstalled back as presenter."
Another added: "@alanshearer Alan pal, please show solidarity and don't do MOTD this week either." While a third said: "Empty chair the whole thing".
A fourth said: "Time for @IanWright0 @alanshearer or whoever else does MOTD these days to not turn up. Be brave and stand up against this."
According to Sky News, Lineker has not agreed to step back from his Match of the Day presenting duties and instead claims that the BBC have taken him off air. Lineker is said to be unwilling to apologise for his tweets and admit he should not have posted them.
Responding to his axing, Lineker told Channel 5: "They've told me I have to step back."
Pundit Ian Wright has pulled out of Saturday's show in "solidarity" with Lineker. He confirmed the news on Twitter, posting: "Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity."
Manchester United legend Gary Neville also hit out at the decision, writing: "When you take on the Tories and the system! Awful people who we need gone."
The Labour Party added their own condemnation of the BBC, with a spokesperson saying: “The BBC’s cowardly decision to take Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure. Tory politicians lobbying to get people sacked for disagreeing with Government policies should be laughed at, not pandered to. The BBC should rethink.”
