LONDON — Monday's matchup between the BBC and Gary Lineker ended in a draw, ending the former soccer great's ban from the airwaves for a tweet that decried the UK government's new immigration policy.

The reversal came after a chaotic and turbulent weekend for Britain's publicly funded national broadcaster, which experienced severe backlash after removing one of its most popular hosts for expressing a political viewpoint.

Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, stated that Gary is a valued member of the organization and that he is looking forward to presenting our coverage this weekend.

"I'm glad we have found a way forward," Lineker said.

Lineker was suspended on Friday after calling the government's plan to detain and deport migrants who arrive by boat "an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in a language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 1930s." Lineker is one of English soccer's most lauded players and the highest-paid television presenter for the company.

Lineker's Nazi comparison was deemed offensive and unacceptable by the Conservative government, and some lawmakers suggested that the BBC should sever his contract. Lineker would be "stepping back" until he consented to keep his tweets within the bounds of BBC impartiality rules, the broadcaster said on Friday.

The BBC was forced to axe a large portion of its weekend sports programming after commentators, analysts, and Premier League players declined to appear as a show of support for Lineker. However, critics accused it of stifling free speech.

The 90-minute highlights and analysis portion of the popular soccer program "Match of the Day" was cut down to 20 minutes of highlights from the day's games, with no commentary or punditry. On Saturday and Sunday, other soccer-related TV and radio programs were canceled as the boycott gained momentum.

The BBC "did the right thing" by suspending Lineker, insisted Davie on Monday, but there would now be an independent review of the BBC's social media policies to address "gray areas" in the regulations.

Gary will follow the editorial standards between now and the time the review reports, he said.

The controversy reflects the unique characteristics of U.K. media, which include newspapers that are highly opinionated and news broadcasters that must be fair and balanced, especially the publicly funded BBC.

The crisis served as a stark illustration of the pressures the 100-year-old BBC has long faced in a media and political landscape that is becoming more divisive. Many conservatives perceive a leftist bias in the broadcaster's news coverage, while some liberals claim a conservative bias.

By pushing for Conservative-friendly BBC bosses, the government has drawn criticism from opposition politicians for interfering in politics. Former Conservative candidate for local office, Davie. Richard Sharp, the chairman of the BBC, is a supporter of the Conservative Party and helped secure a loan for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021, just weeks before Sharp was appointed to the BBC position on the advice of the government.

Periodically, the Conservatives also advocate altering the BBC's funding scheme. All homes with televisions pay a license fee, which provides the majority of its funding.

The spokeswoman for culture and media for the opposition Labour Party, Lucy Powell, claimed that the Conservatives "have long wanted to undermine the BBC."

This saga should prompt the government to look at how it protects and supports a truly independent and impartial BBC, she said, in addition to reviewing the BBC's social media policies.

The BBC prohibits news staff from voicing political opinions as part of its commitment to objectivity.

Lineker has occasionally pushed the boundaries of what the BBC deems appropriate because he is a freelancer and doesn't work in news or current affairs, where he is subject to the same rules. The BBC determined that Lineker's tweet about the purported Russian donations to the Conservative Party violated impartiality rules last year.

According to Davie, the BBC "has a commitment to impartiality in its charter,"  in addition to a commitment to freedom of speech.

He said it was challenging to strike the right balance because different people had different contracts, on-air responsibilities, audiences, and social media profiles.

It had been "a surreal few days," Lineker said, thanking his coworkers for their help.

Finally, he tweeted, "However difficult the last few days have been, it simply doesn't compare to having to flee your home from persecution or war to seek refuge in a land far away. It's heartwarming to see how many of you are sympathetic to their plight.