Gary Lineker’s BBC Departure: The Crackdown On Pro-Palestine Speech (image-instagram/ garylineker)
One of the leading voices of football on British TV, Gary Lineker is a name no sports enthusiast could be unfamiliar with. The former England captain was the BBC’s highest-paid presenter and is expected to cover the upcoming 2026 Football World Cup. However, the recent turn of events seems like he wouldn’t be part of the broadcaster anymore.
Following a controversial social media post about Zionism, Lineker has decided to step down from his role at the BBC. Lineker, who comes from a working-class background, had been a constant advocate for migrant rights and social justice. Moreover, he had used his platform to highlight Israel’s decade-long violence against Palestinians as well.
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Recently, Lineker had posted a video featuring an explanation of what Zionism is. The video included a small illustration of rats. Historically, rats are used as an antisemitic trope to dehumanise Jewish people. Lineker, however, realising its offensive nature, he deleted it later. Following the row, the BBC had declined to renew his contract for presenting “Match of the Day.”
Lineker’s social media posts have repeatedly led to criticisms of the BBC. At several times, he had publicly criticised the BBC for “capitulating to Israeli lobbying” after it withdrew a documentary on Gaza.
Following his departure from the channel, ending a 30-year-long journey, he said on an Instagram post, “Football has been at the heart of my life as long as I can remember—both on the pitch and in the studio. I care deeply about the game, and about the work I have done with the BBC over many years. As I have said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic, it goes against everything I stand for.” For the one last time, Lineker would appear on Match of the Day on Sunday, May 25, coinciding with the last day of the Premier League season.
However, analysts have called the recent departure as part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestine speech in the football world.
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Lineker wasn’t the only one who had been penalised for expressing their solidarity with Palestine. Last year, in December, Arsenal kit manager Mark Bonnick was fired after 22 years at the club. Despite the suppression, the call on FIFA for a ban on Israel continues to get stronger over time. Meanwhile, the football governing body had banned Russia from international games following its invasion of Ukraine. Fans continue to defy fines and stadium bans by participating in the “Red Card Israel” campaign.
