March 10, 21:18
Gary Lineker suspended from BBC over political tweets
Former England international criticized anti-illegal migrants bill, comparing UK government rhetoric to Germany in the 1930s
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Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Former England international Gary Lineker has been suspended from his job at the BBC due to recent political comments on Twitter. About it reported on the British Broadcasting Corporation website.
Lineker has hosted the popular BBC football show Match of the Day since 1999 and is one of the highest paid commentators, earning £1.35m ($1.63m a year). The company said that the former football player will not host Match of the Day until there is an agreed and clear position regarding his use of social networks.
“When it comes to our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary cannot have a say in matters that are important to him, but we have said that he should stay away from political disputes, ”the BBC said.
At the beginning of the week, UK Home Secretary Swella Braverman outlined the government’s plans ban peoplewho illegally arrive in the UK ever to apply for asylum – in an attempt to solve the problem of an increase in the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats.
Lineker, who has 8.7 million followers on Twitter, called it “an incredibly brutal policy targeting the most vulnerable, in language not unlike that used in Germany in the 1930s.” Braverman criticized Lineker’s tweet, saying it “diminishes the untold tragedy of the Holocaust”.
Ivan Vitchenko.
