Gary Lineker accused of ‘shameful disregard for women’ after supporting an anti-Israel article

Gary Lineker has been accused of “shameful disregard for women” after supporting an article attacking Israel in the United States. Guardian newspaper.

Lineker posted “This” on

Women’s sports activists have reacted with outrage to the political post which comes as he ignores their calls to speak out against football’s inability to stop biological males from playing in women’s football.

The BBC’s highest-paid presenter, who is stepping down Match of the day next summer he did not respond to hundreds of requests to address the issue – including from nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova and Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies – after inviting potential questions to his podcast two weeks ago.

On Friday, however, Lineker again waded into a feverish political debate when he endorsed the thoughts of his favorite journalist Liew, who had written “even though sport is a blunt and pointless instrument for social change, it must still be used” against Israel. “Because – even in this twisted, damned carnival mirror of a world – there remains something called right and something called wrong,” the article says.

In response to the Guardian Using the link on Lineker’s would be fine. Thousands have asked you to beat men in the F category on your podcast. You didn’t. I respected you. Now I see that you are yet another man who despises women. Shameful!”

“When is it time to stand up for women, Gary?”

Emma Hilton, developmental biologist and trustee of Sex Matters, added: “When is it time to stand up for women, Gary? Liew said if every podium spot in an Olympic competition was taken by a trans woman, it would be inspiring. Are you okay with that? You had about a thousand people asking you to talk about men in women’s football, and by my count you said exactly nothing.

Liew himself has previously been attacked by women’s sport campaigners after raising concerns in an article about what he perceived as attacks on the transgender community. The independent in 2019. “Let’s just say the floodgates open,” he wrote. “Let’s say transgender athletes enter women’s sports, and despite the tenuous and poorly understood relationship between testosterone and elite performance, let’s say they dominate everything they touch. They conquer Grand Slam tennis titles and world cycling championships. They monopolize the Olympic Games. They fill our football, cricket and netball teams. Why would that be bad? Real? Imagine the power of a trans child or teen seeing a trans athlete on the top step of the Olympic podium. In a way it would be inspiring.”

Lineker spoke about his this summer The rest is football podcast about his admiration for Liew’s journalism. The former England striker also previously stated that he must “cut the divisive nonsense” when he reached an agreement with former Defense Secretary Grant Shapps in 2022, who suggested transgender people “should be able to move on and live their lives” .

When attacked by campaigners at the time, Lineker wrote on social media that his comments referred to “the war on the woke and not a specific issue”.

However, he has not yet addressed the issue this year as he becomes increasingly concerned about the Football Association’s alleged lack of safeguards. Many critics have cited That of the Telegraaf reporting on a 17-year-old girl who was banned because during a basic match she was asked whether an opponent was “a man”.

Lineker, who was at the center of a storm last year for his tweets about the previous government, is stepping down from the broadcaster’s flagship show at the end of this season. However, he will continue to present FA Cup coverage and will also cover the 2026 World Cup as part of an 18-month contract extension at a reduced rate.