Refugee who stayed at Gary Lineker’s home speaks out about his ‘humanity’

Student Rasheed Baluch lifted the lid to live with Lineker’s £4.5 million Surrey home a day later Match of the day star organized one FA cup special has been restored by the BBC.

The presenter was suspended over a tweet in which he compared the language of the Tory government’s asylum seekers policy to Nazi Germany.

Desperate Rasheed, 35, was given free room and board for 20 days while he studied law.

The activist first shared his story, saying: “He has been given the right to freedom, the right to think and to express himself. So for the institutions to react so negatively to Gary’s statement is undemocratic and unfair.

“Gary has come forward to defend humanity. It should be a point of pride for the public.”

Mr Baluch, who hails from the mountainous region of Balochistan that straddles Pakistan and Iran, told the Sunday Mirror that the presenter is “friendly and open-minded” and was happy to hear his story and listen “intently”.

He added: “Although Gary is a star, he lives a simple life. He is never proud of his status. He is a very sympathetic, caring and charitable man. He gave me an Oyster card with a £100 top-up for my transport to the university.

Lineker responded on Twitter, writing, “Ah Rasheed, how sweet of you.”

Mr Baluch was welcomed to the presenter’s estate in Surrey via Refugees At Home, before the former lawyer went to stay with Sara Nathan, co-founder of the charity, and later found a place of his own.

He also said during the interview that the opposition to Lineker was “unfair”.

Meanwhile, Lineker canceled his appearance on Match of the Day Live on Sunday due to illness.

Former England player and presenter Alex Scott provided coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Brighton & Hove Albion and Grimsby Town on BBC One.