BBC has temporarily suspended renowned footballer and commentator Gary Lineker from hosting its popular Match of the Day program until an agreement is reached on his use of social media.
This follows a dispute over impartiality over comments in which he criticized the British Conservative government's new asylum policy for foreigners.
The BBC stated that it considered Lineker's "recent social media activity to be a breach of our rules and that he should stay away from taking sides on party political issues or political disputes".
In solidarity with Lineker, a number of other well-known footballers and commentators have refused to participate in the Match of the Day show. Former BBC executive Greg Dyke and a representative of the opposition Labor Party criticized the BBC's decision.
Lineker has been hosting Match of the Day on a freelance basis since 1999 and is the BBC's highest paid star, earning more than $1.6 million in 2020-2021. Gary is also known for his sharp criticism of the Russian leadership over the war against Ukraine and the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.