Players and managers will not be required to speak to Match of the Day on Saturday following the BBC’s decision to stand presenter Gary Lineker down from the flagship Premier League highlights show.
The BBC announced on Friday that Lineker would be “stepping back” from his long-time role following a row over his social media use.
The move sparked turmoil in the corporation with pundits, such as Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, and commentators subsequently confirming they would not be part of Saturday’s programme as a mark of solidarity for their colleague.
The BBC later confirmed that the programme would run without “studio presentation and punditry” and would focus instead solely on match action.
It is now understood that the Premier League have spoken to the 12 clubs playing on Saturday and informed them that players and managers will not receive requests from Match of the Day for post-match interviews.
Liverpool travel to Bournemouth in Saturday’s early kick-off while champions Manchester City are also in action away at Crystal Palace.
Players and managers are obligated to fulfil certain media duties after matches with fines handed down for any refusal to do so.
However, following suggestions that some may choose not to participate as a show of support for Lineker, they will now not be required to speak.
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The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) have welcomed what they see as a “common sense decision”.
“We have been informed that players involved in today’s games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match of the Day,” they said in a statement.
“The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight’s programme.
“During those conversations we made clear that, as their union, we would support all members who might face consequences for choosing not to complete their broadcast commitments.
“This is a common sense decision that ensures players won’t now be put in that position.”
Lineker, who first presented Match of the Day in 1999, criticised the UK government’s new asylum policy in a tweet on March 7.
He wrote on Twitter: “There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?”
Lineker’s tweet drew criticism from UK home secretary Suella Braverman and culture secretary Lucy Frazer among others but also saw support from fellow high-profile media figures such as Piers Morgan.
Lineker had said on Thursday that he was set to present Match of the Day as planned on Saturday.
“Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days,” Lineker wrote. “Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday. Thanks again for all your incredible support. It’s been overwhelming.”
Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days. Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday. Thanks again for all your incredible support. It’s been overwhelming.
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) March 9, 2023
But the situation escalated on Friday afternoon when the BBC released a statement confirming that Lineker was being stood down.
A statement issued by the broadcaster read: “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.
“When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none.
“We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”
Former BBC director-general Greg Dyke, who helmed the corporation between 2000 and 2004, believes the decision to sanction Lineker was the wrong one.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If you start applying the rules of news and current affairs to everybody who works for the BBC, where does it end?”
He added: “There is a long-established precedent in the BBC that is, that if you’re an entertainment presenter or you’re a football presenter, then you are not bound by those same (impartiality) rules.
“The real problem of today is that the BBC has undermined its own credibility by doing this because it looks like – the perception out there – is that the BBC has bowed to government pressure.
“And once the BBC does that, then you’re in real problems.
“The perception out there is going to be that Gary Lineker, a much-loved television presenter, was taken off air after government pressure on a particular issue.”
I made a decision last night that even though I love doing football focus and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA award that it just doesn’t feel right going ahead with the show today. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…
— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) March 11, 2023
Other BBC programming on Saturday was thrown into turmoil with presenters Alex Scott and Kelly Somers confirming they wouldn’t be part of Football Focus and presenter Jason Mohammad doing the same for Final Score.
Both programmes were later replaced on the schedule.
Former players Dion Dublin and Leon Osman confirmed they would not appear on BBC Radio 5Live’s Saturday coverage while Fighting Talk, scheduled for 11am, wasn’t broadcast.
The usual afternoon radio schedule, including coverage of Bournemouth vs Liverpool, was also replaced.
GO DEEPER
It is the BBC, not Gary Lineker, who have scored the spectacular own goal
(Photo: James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images)
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