Sports Broadcaster Gary Lineker in Hot Water

Former England football team captain, Gary Lineker, is expected to return to his role as a sports broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after tense negotiations with the publication due to his recent tweets.

The BBC released an official statement on Monday, 13 March, saying that Lineker will return to present their “Match of the Day” segment before adding that the company’s social media policy will be going under an independent review.

On Tuesday, 7 March, the 62-year-old television presenter criticised the United Kingdom’s new immigration policy via Twitter, saying: “This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in a language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.”

The tweet was reportedly denounced by several conservative politicians who called for Lineker to be “disciplined”. When he refused to apologise, the BBC announced on Friday, 10 March, that Lineker would “step back” from hosting the weekly highlights programme.

However, coverage of the weekend’s sporting news dissolved in protest as several soccer presenters, pundits and commentators refused to appear on the show or continue with other broadcasts.

Lineker has since been reinstated, and tweeted his thanks to his colleagues for their solidarity.

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