Premier League players & managers to boycott Match of the Day over Gary Lineker suspension

The PFA announced on Saturday that players and managers of

sides will boycott the Match of the Day program on Saturday and no one will be asked to do interviews for this program.

A statement read:

"We have been informed that players in today's games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match of the Day.

"The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight's programme.

"During those conversations, we made clear that, as their union, we would support all members who might face consequences for choosing not to complete their broadcast commitments.

"This is a common sense decision that ensures players won't now be put in that position.”

The BBC announced on Friday that they asked Gary Lineker to step back from presenting Match of the Day until an agreement is reached on his social media use following his controversial tweet in which he compared the language used to launch a new government asylum policy with 1930s Germany. Reports suggest that Lineker has refused to apologize for his tweet.

MOTD regular pundits including Alan Shearer and Ian Wright announced on Friday that they would be boycotting the show in solidarity with Lineker. Several of the show’s commentators also said they would be stepping down from Saturday’s broadcast.

Saturday's show is set to be broadcast without studio presentation or punditry.

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