After the situation involving Gary Lineker and the BBC, American athletics legend Michael Johnson has resorted to Twitter to inquire if he needs to fly to the UK.
Lineker has been into a spat with the BBC after comparing the government’s new asylum seeker policy to 1930s Germany. As a result, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona player has been removed from his presenting duties for this weekend’s Match of the Day broadcast.
The network said on Friday that Lineker will not host the weekly highlights show until an agreement on his usage of social media is reached.
In a statement they said: “”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.”
Amid the decision the BBC has faced a whole host of backlash, including from former sprinter Johnson, who regularly acts as a pundit on the BBC’s athletics coverage. Taking to Twitter after hearing the news on Lineker, Johnson wrote: “What the hell is happening? Do I need to get on a plane and come over there? WTF?!”
What the hell is happening? Do I need to get on a plane and come over there? WTF?!
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) March 10, 2023
The BBC has been in disarray over the past 24 hours as a result of their choice. As a result, Match of the Day analysts Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, and Alex Scott all stood in solidarity with the host, having withdrawn from Saturday’s show. It has also resulted in the abolition of Football Focus and Final Score.
Wright led the exodus, having tweeted: “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.” And this was soon followed from the likes of Shearer and Scott, who posted similar tweets.
The former Arsenal striker has also promised to leave Match of the Day for good if his colleague and good friend is sacked from his role. On the latest episode of the Wrighty’s House podcast. He said, “Let me tell you something if the BBC do get rid of Gary Lineker I am out. I am gone, I am not staying there.
“On his own platform, he should be able to say what he wants to say. Gary Lineker, he says stuff on everything and it’s almost like this one has missed everybody simply because he says so much but this is so right what he is saying. I have spoken to Gary, I am behind him.”