Major Controversies Surrounding Gary Lineker: A Detailed Timeline
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Gary Lineker.
Gary Lineker is a celebrated English sports broadcaster and former professional footballer. As a player, he excelled as a striker, uniquely achieving top goalscorer status in England with three different clubs: Leicester City, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played for Barcelona and represented England in 80 international matches. Since the late 1990s, he has been the face of BBC's 'Match of the Day,' becoming its longest-serving presenter. Additionally, Lineker serves as the BBC's primary presenter for live football events, including major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup. He has also contributed to various other sports networks, like Al Jazeera, Eredivisie Live, NBC Sports and BT Sport.
2005: Defamation lawsuit by Harry Kewell
In 2005, Gary Lineker faced a defamation lawsuit from Australian footballer Harry Kewell over comments in Lineker's column regarding Kewell's transfer to Liverpool. The jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case.
May 2010: Resignation from The Mail on Sunday
In May 2010, Lineker resigned from his role as a columnist for The Mail on Sunday in protest over a sting operation against Lord Triesman, which jeopardized England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Following this, Lineker began working for Al Jazeera Sport.
October 2016: Criticism of refugee dental checks
On 18 October 2016, Gary Lineker tweeted a rebuttal to a statement by MP David Davies about refugee dental checks, leading to calls for his sacking from Match of the Day.
December 2016: Labeled "British Left's Loudest Voice"
In December 2016, Gary Lineker was described by Angus Harrison of Vice News as "the British Left's Loudest Voice" due to his liberal views on Twitter.
November 2017: Named in the Paradise Papers
In November 2017, Gary Lineker was named in the Paradise Papers in connection with a tax avoidance scheme relating to property owned in Barbados and a company set up in the British Virgin Islands.
July 2018: Support for People's Vote
In July 2018, Gary Lineker announced his support for People's Vote, a campaign group calling for a public vote on the final Brexit deal between the UK and the European Union.
December 2018: Criticism for political views on Twitter
In December 2018, Gary Lineker was criticised by Jonathan Agnew for expressing his political views on Twitter, leading to a debate about BBC impartiality.
October 2022: Complaint upheld by BBC
In October 2022, a complaint about Gary Lineker's tweet regarding donations to the Conservative Party was upheld by the BBC for breaching impartiality guidelines.
January 2023: Criticism for US comments
In January 2023, Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan criticised Gary Lineker for calling the United States an "extraordinarily racist country".
March 2023: Stepping back from BBC presenting
In March 2023, Gary Lineker was asked to step back from presenting on the BBC for three days due to controversy over his criticism of the British government's immigration policy on Twitter.
March 2023: Tax Appeal Victory
On 28 March 2023, Gary Lineker won an appeal against HM Revenue and Customs over a £4.9 million tax bill. A judge ruled he was a freelancer and had contracts with the broadcasters.
December 2023: Criticism of Rwanda Asylum Plan
In December 2023, Lineker signed an open letter criticizing the government's proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, which resulted in accusations of violating impartiality and a complaint to the BBC.
