why did gary lineker get sacked

Gary Lineker was effectively forced to leave the BBC due to backlash over a social media post he shared about Zionism, which included an illustration of a rat, a symbol historically associated with antisemitism. Despite apologizing for the mistake and stating he would never intentionally share anything antisemitic, the BBC management found the situation untenable, leading to an agreement for him to step down from his presenting duties after the 2024-25 season. This incident was the tipping point following previous controversies around his social media use and criticisms of government policies, which had already put him at odds with the BBC's guidelines on impartiality. The BBC's director general acknowledged Lineker's contributions but said the departure was necessary to maintain the corporation's reputation and standards of impartiality.