Gary Lineker was suspended as presenter of Match of the Day yesterday after the BBC insisted his criticism of the government's asylum policies had breached its impartiality guidelines.
In a dramatic and unexpected escalation of a crisis that has been brewing all week, the corporation took the decision to take its highest-paid presenter off its flagship football show after he was criticised by Tory MPs and rightwing media.
Ministers put the BBC under pressure after the former footballer posted a series of tweets this week criticising Rishi Sunak's new asylum policy. He likened the language used by ministers about asylum seekers to "that used by Germany in the 30s", a comparison branded "offensive" by the home secretary.
A BBC spokesperson said he would be off air until an agreement was reached on his future use of social media. If Lineker, who has two years left on his current contract to present Match of the Day, refuses to back down, it opens up the possibility of him leaving the corporation.
The decision to take Lineker off air was announced yesterday afternoon despite the presenter making clear he wanted to host this weekend's edition of the Premier League highlights programme.
A BBC 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.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 11, 2023 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 11, 2023 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Few runs, and no fairytale, for Ireland in New York
Whatever game the teams are playing out here in New York City, it surely isn't the same one they have in the Indian Premier League.
Field of dreams Reality check for ICC in its romantic plan to draw American hearts to cricket
Thirty million does not go as far as you might hope in Manhattan, where it will just about stretch to a single Chelsea penthouse.
Investors awarded billions in public cash for losses related to climate laws, analysis finds
More than $100bn (£78bn) of public money has been awarded to private investors in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) courts, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet.
Not so Big Mac: Irish restaurant brings McDonald's down to size
The Irish fast food chain Supermac's has won a David v Goliath court battle with McDonald's over the use of the Big Mac trademark, paving the way for it to open outlets across Europe.
Gaza Hunger already causing mass deaths, report warns
Months of extreme hunger have already killed many Palestinians in Gaza and caused permanent damage to children through malnutrition, a food security report has found, even before famine is officially declared.
Israeli Flag Day march through Muslim Jerusalem inflames tensions
Thousands of Israeli religious nationalists paraded through Muslim parts of the Old City of Jerusalem in the annual Flag Day march yesterday, an event that threatens to trigger further violence in the Israel-Hamas war.
Gains expected for populists as Dutch kick off four days of polls
Elections to the world's only transnational assembly get under way in earnest today as Dutch voters go to the polls at the start of a four-day, 27-country ballot that will return 720 MEPS to the next European parliament.
'Acting like colonial rulers' How BJP lost in heartland
It was less than six months ago that Narendra Modi walked solemnly through the ornate surroundings of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and one of its most politically crucial.
Foreign Office 'ineffective for Britons held abroad' - expert
Families of Britons arrested in controversial circumstances abroad should raise concerns promptly in public because Foreign Office \"quiet diplomacy\" is not effective, an expert has warned after the arrest of a former British Royal Marine in Dubai.
Rugby scores for children with Down's syndrome
A rugby team set up for young people with Down's syndrome has been described as a \"lifeline\" by parents who say there is a chronic lack of opportunities for their children.
