POLL: Should the BBC sack Gary Lineker? VOTE NOW

Since his latest foray into the world of geopolitics - while having a CV very much steeped in sport - Lineker has been lauded by a Hamas propaganda outfit and a petition to have him sacked is nearing 15,000 signatures.

Even Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has had to address the BBC star's antics and insist he "sticks to football".

Lineker has since removed the repost from his X page and it is believed the 63-year-old thought the post was news that Israel had been banned - rather than a campaign to ban them.

He's been condemned by the UK-based Campaign Against Antisemitism and a number of Shapps' fellow Conservative MPs.

And yet there is one organisation that refuses to take action on Lineker's continual wading onto the political stage - the BBC.

Lineker's reposting of the Israeli football team's prospective ban isn't believed to be seen as a breach by the corporation.

But it does join a long list of Lineker's questionable antics on social media, with incoming BBC chairman Samir Shah confirming just last month that tweets by the Match of the Day host at Tory MPs did breach new social media guidelines.

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The new BBC rules clarify that big-name stars can't endorse or attack a political party, criticise individual UK politicians, comment on issues of political debate during an election period, or take up an official role in campaigning.

And yet Lineker remains on the BBC payroll - so the big question is: should he be?