Lineker Faces Backlash for Retweeting Call to Ban Israel from International Football

BBC accused of 'wilful blindness' to anti-Semitism as former executive calls for action

Gary Lineker, host of Match of the Day, retweeted a post by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) calling for Israel to be banned from international football due to alleged violations of international law.
Lineker later removed the retweet, with sources suggesting he misunderstood the post, believing it was news about Israel being banned rather than a campaign for a ban.
The incident sparked criticism from several quarters, including former BBC executive Danny Cohen, who accused the BBC of 'wilful blindness' to anti-Semitism.
The BBC has not commented on the incident, stating they do not comment on individual social media posts.
This is not the first time Lineker has posted about Israel on social media, having previously shared a video in which an academic accused Israel of committing 'textbook genocide'.