Gary Lineker slams 'ludicrous backlash' he received over Lionesses tweet

Gary Lineker slams 'ludicrous backlash' he received over Lionesses tweet
Lineker Just one thing
Aden-Jay Wood

By Aden-Jay Wood


Published: 02/08/2022

- 21:15

Updated: 02/08/2022

- 22:51

Gary Lineker was slammed and accused of "casual sexism" after posting the now deleted tweet

Gary Lineker has said he’s “not easily bullied” after describing the backlash he has received over a sports bra tweet as “ludicrous”.

Mr Lineker posted a joke on Twitter referring to the Lionesses Chloe Kelly celebration after she scored the winning goal in the European Championships final.


But after being slammed over the tweet and accused of “casual sexism”, the former England footballer opted to delete it.

Speaking about the incident, Mr Lineker said: “It was ludicrous. But it was just a few people who, I think, weren’t watching the football match.

England's Chloe Kelly (right) celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday July 31, 2022.
Mr Lineker was slammed over a now deleted tweet about the Lionesses
Adam Davy

“So they’ve automatically thought I was making a sexist comment because women wear bras.”

He added that he “only deleted it” because those who had not watched the game “who were taking umbrage” had not fully understood the post’s meaning.

And Mr Lineker delved into the tweet and its backlash further on Tuesday, saying: “I’m not easily bullied.

“I think about my tweets all the time. That’s why I thought about that one.

“Because I thought it was quite funny. It was just a play on words, like I do all the time, in most of my tweets when I’m watching football matches.

“Because, actually, if you’re tweeting about football, if you just go, ‘So and so scored’, it’s quite dull.

“So I try to think of something amusing. Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, not. Some people might like it."

He continued at the launch of a report commissioned by Ofcom into Premier League football abuse on Twitter: “Some people won’t get it at all. Some people think that’s boring.

“But I just try to be different, which is what I do on TV. I try to do similar kinds of things and I’ve always done it.

“And I just think a few people just took it the wrong way. And I understand that.

“If I’ve got 8.5 million followers, every tweet I do, someone will have a pop.”

Speaking on GB News on Tuesday evening, Dan Wootton waded in on the row by hitting out at Mr Lineker.

He said: "You reap what you sow Mr Lineker and this is the culture you’ve created, a culture where we can’t even use a funny pun anymore."

Undated Handout Photo of Gary Lineker wearing glasses from the Lineker Edit, available at Vision Express. See PA Feature TOPICAL Fashion Lineker. Picture credit should read: PA Photo/Handout. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature TOPICAL Fashion Lineker. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.
Gary Lineker
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