BBC fires legend Gary Lineker after sharing post about 'Zionists'

Gary Lineker, the English football legend turned media personality, is to leave his role as a presenter for the BBC after being criticised for reposting an Instagram story about Zionism, which featured a picture of a rat.

Lineker, 64, who is the British national broadcaster's highest-paid presenter on about 1.3 million pounds ($1.7 million) a year, was set to leave the main football show "Match of the Day" at the end of this season but would stay at the BBC to host other football coverage, including next year's men's World Cup.

However, the BBC said in a statement on Monday that Lineker would be stepping down from the corporation completely after the final episode of "Match of the Day" next weekend, following his decision to share a post from the group, Palestine Lobby, illustrated with a picture of a rat, titled: "Zionism explained in two minutes."

Rats, associated with disease and filth, have been used to represent Jews in anti-Semitic propaganda throughout history, including by the Nazis in 1930s Germany. "Gary has accepted the mistake he has made," said BBC director general Tim Davie. "We have therefore agreed that he will step down from further presenting after this season," he added.

Lineker had apologised for his behaviour, saying last week that he had reposted material that he later learned contained "offensive references", adding that he had withdrawn the post as soon as he was made aware of the matter and "would never knowingly share anything anti-Semitic".

Before Lineker's apology, Davie said the corporation needed people to be "exemplaries of BBC values ??and follow our social media policies" and that "when someone makes a mistake, it costs us".