There are growing calls for Gary Lineker to be sacked following a repost on Twitter/X (Image: Getty)

       Gary Lineker is facing calls to be sacked from the BBC after reposting a statement calling for Israel to be banned from international football. The presenter has been receiving a barrage of criticism since reposting the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel statement, which called for the country to be removed from global tournaments.

       On X/Twitter, the organisation said: “The Palestinian Football Association calls on @iocmedia, @FIFAcom and all regional and int'l sports bodies to take an urgent stance on Israel’s grave violations of human rights and subject it to legal accountability measures.”

       Following his repost, thousands of people have taken to social media to blast the Match of the Day host for his activity. Politicians have also waded into the debate and lambasted Lineker.

       READ MORE Gary Lineker in firing line after backing call for Israel football ban [LATEST]

       Hundreds of people have criticised Gary Lineker for his repost (Image: Getty)

       Writing on X/Twitter, Lee Harris said: “Gary Lineker, the man who shamelessly took ￡1.6million from human rights-abusing, terrorist-supporting Qatar, retweets a call for Israel to be banned from international football.

       “Enough is enough! The BBC MUST boot him out. This man is an absolute disgrace.”

       Editor of the Jewish Chronicle, Jake Wallis Simons, added: “Gary Lineker has retweeted a call for Israel to be barred from international football. Could this be the same Lineker who pocketed ￡1.6million from Qatar? And covered the World Cup there? Why, yes. Yes, it is.”

       Founder of ConservativeHome Tim Montgomerie said: “We still await Gary Lineker's call for Iran to be banned for global export of terror; of Russia for mass bombing Syria before he went there for the World Cup; of North Korea for extreme totalitarianism towards its own people etc.”

       Other social media users also had theories about why Lineker was speaking up about Israel-Palestine and not other issues. Renée Hoenderkamp wrote: “The man who went to Qatar.

       “He hasn’t called for China to be banned from the sport for keeping two million Uighur Muslims in concentration camps. Because the Chinese aren’t Jewish.”

       London School of Economics professor Alan Sked added: “Gary Lineker has tweeted that Israel should be banned from international football and all other international tournaments. Time for the BBC to take him off the air.”

       Politicians have also slammed Lineker for his decision to repost the statement. Speaking to The Telegraph, Jewish Conservative MP Andrew Percy said: “Gary Lineker is an ill-informed, ignorant commentator on the Middle East.”

       DON'T MISS

       Powered by

       Palestine protesters shutting down London blasted over sick chant: 'Embarrassing spectacle

       Comments

       It is high time we proscribe the Houthis' bankroller - Iran's IRGC

       9 Comments

       Iran has used its military to promote conflict and mayhem, says Peter Caddick-Adams

       1 Comments

       Two major flashpoints pinpointed which could spark massive Middle East escalation

       7 Comments

       Putin banned me from Russia but Zelensky's persecution of Christians must be stopped

       38 Comments

       Iran tanker seizure was ‘retaliation for Israel assassination campaign' on enemy leaders

       9 Comments

       US official says Palestinians 'must be able to return home' after conflict eases

       42 Comments

       Kremlin 'spewing racism' as Vladimir Putin bids to silence all Ukraine war criticism

       136 Comments

       POLL: Do you think Rishi Sunak's new Rwanda Bill will stop the boats? Vote here

       228 Comments

       BBC 'caught lying again' over resignation of Harvard's Claudine Gay

       343 Comments

       Council accused of 'criminal offence' for not removing Palestine flags

       217 Comments

       Russia using North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine as Putin seeks more from Iran

       24 Comments

       A-Z of the year to remember and forget - Nick Ferrari

       1 Comments

       Tory MP dares Gary Lineker to settle bitter feud once and for all with cheeky challenge

       1 Comments

       Gary Lineker in firing line after backing call for Israel football ban

       715 Comments

       Israel denies genocide accusations in Gaza

       41 Comments

       BBC blasted by Tory MP for 'concerning' coverage of Israel-Hamas war

       72 Comments

       Pro-Israel rally in Trafalgar Square demands release of Gaza hostages

       22 Comments

       ‘Ignorant bile!' Tory MP demands Baroness Warsi be kicked out of party over Houthi tweet

       1747 Comments

       Erdogan accuses UK of creating 'bloodbath' as Houthis defiant after strikes

       26 Comments

       Palestine protesters shutting down London blasted over sick chant: 'Embarrassing spectacle

       Comments

       It is high time we proscribe the Houthis' bankroller - Iran's IRGC

       9 Comments

       Iran has used its military to promote conflict and mayhem, says Peter Caddick-Adams

       1 Comments

       Two major flashpoints pinpointed which could spark massive Middle East escalation

       7 Comments

       Putin banned me from Russia but Zelensky's persecution of Christians must be stopped

       38 Comments

       Iran tanker seizure was ‘retaliation for Israel assassination campaign' on enemy leaders

       9 Comments

       US official says Palestinians 'must be able to return home' after conflict eases

       42 Comments

       Kremlin 'spewing racism' as Vladimir Putin bids to silence all Ukraine war criticism

       136 Comments

       POLL: Do you think Rishi Sunak's new Rwanda Bill will stop the boats? Vote here

       228 Comments

       BBC 'caught lying again' over resignation of Harvard's Claudine Gay

       343 Comments

       Council accused of 'criminal offence' for not removing Palestine flags

       217 Comments

       Russia using North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine as Putin seeks more from Iran

       24 Comments

       A-Z of the year to remember and forget - Nick Ferrari

       1 Comments

       Tory MP dares Gary Lineker to settle bitter feud once and for all with cheeky challenge

       1 Comments

       Gary Lineker in firing line after backing call for Israel football ban

       715 Comments

       Israel denies genocide accusations in Gaza

       41 Comments

       BBC blasted by Tory MP for 'concerning' coverage of Israel-Hamas war

       72 Comments

       Pro-Israel rally in Trafalgar Square demands release of Gaza hostages

       22 Comments

       ‘Ignorant bile!' Tory MP demands Baroness Warsi be kicked out of party over Houthi tweet

       1747 Comments

       Erdogan accuses UK of creating 'bloodbath' as Houthis defiant after strikes

       26 Comments

       Palestine protesters shutting down London blasted over sick chant: 'Embarrassing spectacle

       Comments

       It is high time we proscribe the Houthis' bankroller - Iran's IRGC

       9 Comments

       Iran has used its military to promote conflict and mayhem, says Peter Caddick-Adams

       1 Comments

       Two major flashpoints pinpointed which could spark massive Middle East escalation

       7 Comments

       Putin banned me from Russia but Zelensky's persecution of Christians must be stopped

       38 Comments

       Iran tanker seizure was ‘retaliation for Israel assassination campaign' on enemy leaders

       9 Comments

       US official says Palestinians 'must be able to return home' after conflict eases

       42 Comments

       DON'T MISS

       Pro-Israel rally in Trafalgar Square demands release of Gaza hostages [REPORT]

       Pro-Palestine mob plot economic chaos by 'shutting down' London Stock Exchange [REPORT]

       Tense moment Israel spots children seconds before Gaza bombing [REPORT]

       Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading

       Start 30-day

       FREE trial

       The post Mr Lineker shared called for Israel to be banned from international competition (Image: Getty)

       Mr Percy added: “The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement [to boycott Israel] is a racist, antisemitic campaign and nobody who receives taxpayers' money working in the BBC should be endorsing a campaign that is widely understood to promote Jew hate.”

       Former Cabinet Minister and parliamentary chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel, Stephen Crabb, added: “This a deeply inappropriate tweet for any BBC figure to endorse, and especially for someone of Lineker's prominence. The BDS movement is riddled with antisemitism from top to bottom, and deepens the divisions in our own society.”

       The post that Lineker retweeted added: “The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel supports the PFA demand while also calling for international public and official pressure on international sporting bodies, especially the IOC and FIFA, to suspend Israel’s membership and ban it from international tournaments and games until it ends its grave violations of international law, particularly it’s apartheid rule and the crime of genocide it is perpetrating in Gaza.”

       Related articles Watch moment Houthis lay siege to fake city as troops ‘training for war’ Netanyahu vows to defy Hague court as he insists 'no-one can stop us' in Gaza Israel marks 100th day of intense Gaza offensive amid genocide allegations Humza Yousaf's brother-in-law charged with drug offences in Scotland Houthis fire cruise missile at US warship after Yemen airstrike 'kills eight'