BBC crisis escalates as players, stars rally behind Lineker

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The BBC faces an escalating crisis over its suspension of program host Gary Lineker for comments criticizing the British government’s new asylum policy. Britain’s national broadcaster has been accused of political bias and suppressing free speech and received praise from Conservative politicians. It suspended former England captain Lineker on Friday from hosting highlights show “Match of the Day” over a Twitter post that compared lawmakers’ language about migrants to that used in Nazi Germany. The BBC says “Match of the Day” will be aired without presenters or pundits. There won’t be any player interviews either after a growing number of players and broadcasters rallied to Lineker’s support. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hoped the issue could be “resolved in a timely manner.”