The BBC was right to punish Gary Lineker for repeated rule-breaking

sir – Regarding the BBC’S policy towards Gary Lineker, one assumes that when footballers take to the pitch they accept that if they break the rules the referee will sanction them.

If after more similar offences, the player continues breaking the rules, the referee issues a red card and the player must leave the field. If the player refuses to do so, what option does the referee have? The game can’t continue with the player still on the pitch. The player would later receive the most severe penalty from the authorities. Michael Upton

Nottingham

sir – I was delighted to see support for Gary Lineker from Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon. As Aesop said, a man is known by the company he keeps. Ian Page

Haslemere, Surrey

sir – Whether you agree with Gary Lineker or not, it appears we live in a country where free speech is a privilege afforded to some – where authors’ words can be changed to avoid upsetting others, and where a person can be cancelled for having an opinion. Is this actually Britain? Kevin Renney

North Shields

sir – It is worrying that anyone who questions the Government’s policies is labelled “unpatriotic” or a “Leftie”. John Catchpole

Beverley, East Yorkshire

sir – BBC presenters say they refused to work out of solidarity.

In the real word, refusing to work would be called gross misconduct and most likely lead to the sack.

Roger Gentry

Weavering, Kent

sir – In the post-war period, I was allowed to accompany my newspapereditor father to Saturday football games. Being let into the press box with the great and the good of sports journalism was a rare privilege – only granted on the basis of my observation of complete neutrality, a rule for all sports reporters in those days.

I was forbidden to show any emotion regarding the progress of the game, as the press box was in open and full view of the fans. Very frustrating for a youngster, but necessary. Fans in those days spoke up for themselves.

Perhaps Gary Lineker and his colleagues should reflect on the privileged place they hold in sports journalism and on how far standards of neutrality have fallen.

Dale Oliver

Felixstowe, Suffolk

sir – What a wonderful Match of the Day – football without commentary, no pundits wittering on after the game, and no managers moaning about the referee who robbed them. Christopher Lavender

East Grinstead, West Sussex

SIR – My mother-in-law used to call all sport punditry “resurrection pie”.

Averil Garman

Guildford, Surrey