BBC's main soccer presenter Lineker issues apology after sharing 'antisemitic' social media post

LONDON — Gary Lineker, the former England soccer player who became a leading sports broadcaster on the BBC, has "apologized unreservedly'' for reposting an Instagram story about Zionism which featured a picture of a rat.

In a statement Wednesday, Lineker, 64, said he reposted material which he has since subsequently learned contained ''offensive references,'' adding that he withdrew the post as soon as he became aware of the issue.

''I take full responsibility for this mistake," said Lineker. ''I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in."

Lineker came under criticism on Tuesday after he shared a post from the group, Palestine Lobby, illustrated with a picture of a rat, titled: ''Zionism explained in two minutes.''

Rats, linked to disease and dirt, have been used to represent Jews in antisemitic propaganda throughout history, including by the Nazis in 1930s Germany.

Lineker, who steps down as the main presenter of the BBC's flagship soccer highlights program ''Match of the Day'' later this month after more than 25 years at the helm, is no stranger to controversy.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona striker has been reprimanded on prior occasions over his activities on social media. Most notably, he was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 after an impartiality row over comments he made criticizing the then Conservative government's new asylum policy.

He was among 500 other high-profile figures who signed an open letter in February urging the BBC to re-broadcast a documentary, ''Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone,'' to its streaming service, BBC iPlayer. The documentary was pulled after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

''Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters,'' he said in his apology Wednesday.

Though Lineker is leaving his role at ''Match of the Day,'' he has signed a contract extension that will see him host the national broadcaster's coverage of the FA Cup through to 2026 as well as next year's World Cup tournament in North America. He has for years been the BBC's highest paid star.

Prior to Lineker's apology, the BBC's director-general Tim Davie said the broadcaster's reputation is ''held by everyone and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us.''

He added: ''And I think we absolutely need people to be the exemplars of BBC values and follow our social media policies, simple as that."

The Campaign Against Antisemitism has urged Davie to sack Lineker, who is also the co-founder of the hugely successful ''Goalhanger'' podcasts, makers of the popular ''The Rest is History'' series and its spin-offs about politics, football, entertainment and money.

''As the BBC's highest-paid presenter and owner of a major media enterprise, maybe he knows exactly what he's doing," a spokersperson for the organization said. "Having looked the other way until now, at this point, it is clear that Mr. Lineker's continued association with the BBC is untenable. He must go.''