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Match of the Day could be entirely silent tonight unless the BBC are able to secure alternative commentary rights.
It was understood the BBC would be able to use the Premier League’s ‘World Feed’ to replace their own commentators, but widespread reports suggest it has been unable to secure the rights.
Commentators of Match of The Day – including Alan Shearer and Ian Wright – joined the boycott after the broadcaster announced it will air without presenters or pundits.
Meanwhile, the BBC fears it cannot sack Gary Lineker or force him to follow social media rules on impartiality because of ambiguities in his contract.
The corporation would be forced to pay millions if they wanted to oust Lineker and would likely lose any presenter, senior figures believe.
Lineker has been embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new government asylum policy with 1930s Germany.
BBC fears it cannot sack Lineker or force him to follow social media rules
The BBC fears it cannot sack Gary Lineker or force him to follow social media rules on impartiality because of ambiguities in his contract, The Independent understands.
The corporation would be forced to pay millions if they wanted to oust Lineker and would likely lose any presenter, senior figures believe.
Lineker, who was forced off air after comparing the government’s asylum policy to Nazi Germany on Twitter, is understood to be on a two-year contract negotiated before current director general Tim Davie was appointed.
Mr Davie has repeatedly emphasised the importance of the BBC’s impartiality and led a crackdown on BBC stars making political comments on social media.
But Lineker’s contract was already in place and has not been updated, handing an important advantage to the presenter as the dispute intensifies.
Read more:
Exclusive: Lineker’s contract does not outline clear rules on the use of social media
BBC row with Gary Lineker “hugely disappointing”, says broadcasting union Bectu
Broadcasting union Bectu has said the BBC’s handling of the impartiality row with Gary Lineker is “hugely disappointing” and feels it will “likely prove disastrous for its reputation”.
Philippa Childs, head of Bectu, said in a statement: “Bectu has always been a staunch defender of the BBC, and we are hugely proud of the important work our members do every day. However, the corporation’s handling of this crisis has been hugely disappointing and will likely prove disastrous for its reputation.”
She added that the union body had previously written to the BBC’s director general about its concerns surrounding the corporation’s chairman Richard Sharp, who recently became embroiled in a cronyism row over him helping Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan facility.
“Our members and no doubt many others who work at the BBC will be rightly confused why those at the highest levels of the corporation are apparently immune to the stringent guidelines applied to everyone else,” she said.
“Our thoughts are with all BBC staff at what we know is an incredibly challenging time, and we are here to support our members however we can.
“We fully understand the depth of feeling and why some freelancers will elect to not work on BBC sport programmes today or choose to join protests. The strength of feeling from both staff and members of the public should indicate to the corporation that its handling of the issue has been a massive misstep.”
Sports Journalists’ Association “fully supports” members on freedom of speech
The Sports Journalists’ Association (SJA) has said it “fully supports” the freedom of speech of its members and colleagues within the industry following a boycott by BBC presenters and pundits in support of Gary Lineker.
In a statement on Twitter, they said: “The Sports Journalists’ Association of Great Britain fully supports its members and industry colleagues on freedom of speech.
“The SJA would like to express its solidarity on this matter and will continue to monitor developments on the BBC and Gary Lineker story.”
BBC sports director apologises to staff for “limited sports programming”
The BBC’s director of sport has apologised to its staff following the ongoing turmoil surrounding today’s Match Of The Day line-up.
Barbara Slater, the corporation’s director of sport, confirmed that the BBC would only be able to bring “limited sports programming” this weekend following an ongoing row with Gary Lineker over the terms of his contract.
“We are sorry about the impact that the news relating to Gary Lineker and Match Of The Day is having across the department this weekend”, the letter read.
“We understand how unsettling this is for all of you – the staff in BBC Sport and our freelance community – and we understand the strength of feeling which has been generated by this issue.
“We have just released a statement to confirm that we will only be able to bring limited sports programming this weekend and our schedules will be updated to reflect that. We know that the changes we are making to programming will be disappointing for BBC Sport fans and for the Sport team.
“Individual heads of department and lead editors will be updating teams as and when they can, so if you have any specific questions about your role, please contact your line manager.
“We are working hard to resolve the situation and we will update you as soon as possible.
“Thank you for your continued hard work and professionalism.”
Gary Lineker laughs with fans as BBC goes into meltdown
Match of the Day ‘will last 20 minutes’
Match of the Day will only last for 20 minutes this evening, according to reports.
The programme was due to last one hour and nine minutes, but it will be considerably shorter than normal as it will be without a presenter or any pundits.
The lack of any discussion or analysis of the day’s top-flight football means the show will last just 20 minutes, as reported by The Times.
Liverpool boss Klopp ‘does not understand’ BBC decision to stand down Lineker
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he could not understand the BBC’s decision to stand down Gary Lineker from presenting Match of the Day, insisting it should be possible for people to express their opinions.
Klopp said: “I’m not native but I cannot see why you would ask someone to step back for saying that. I’m not sure if it is a language issue or not but that is the world we are living in.
“Everybody wants to be so concerned about doing things in the right manner, saying the right stuff. If you don’t do that then you create a s***storm, it is a really difficult world to live in.
“If I understand it right, it is a message, an opinion about human rights and that should be possible to say.
“It is not about me now showing the BBC, it is not that the guy with the BBC mic is a bad person.
“I heard about the ‘rules’ of BBC that you are not allowed to have these opinions, it is a difficult world to live in. I can’t say more.”
BBC ‘risks silent Match of the Day’ after commentators join walkout
Match of the Day could be entirely silent tonight unless the BBC are able to secure alternative commentary rights, according to reports.
All six Match of the Day commentators scheduled to work today’s games joined the boycott of the programme following the BBC’s decision to suspend Gary Lineker over his use of social media.
The BBC said on Friday night that Match of the Day would be shown “without studio presentation or punditry” after Ian Wright and Alan Shearer stepped down out of “solidarity” with Lineker.
Match of the Day’s regular commentators joined a walkout of BBC staff out of solidarity with Gary Lineker
Former BBC controller says Gary Lineker may have presented his last MOTD
Piers Morgan defends Gary Lineker amid ‘ridiculous’ BBC impartiality row
Piers Morgan has shared messages of support for Gary Lineker after the BBC announced that the presenter would be “stepping back” from hosting Match of the Day.
The former England striker is at the centre of a public debate about impartiality at the BBC, after he compared a video unveiling the government’s asylum policy to rhetoric used in Germany in the 1930s.
On Friday (10 March), the BBC said that Lineker would not continue presenting MOTD until an “agreed and clear position” on his social media use had been reached.
‘I didn’t agree with what he said, but so what? It’s HIS opinion,’ presenter tweeted.
