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How the sports world reacted to Brexit

June 24, 2016

Britain's decision to leave the European Union has stunned the world. We take a look at how the world of sport reacted to the news.

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Olympia London 2012 Segeln
Image: Reuters

The world of sport could be significantly affected by Britain's Brexit vote, which has triggered many top sporting personalities to tweet their views.

Concern has already been expressed over the impact Brexit could have on European football, and the movement of players.

The vast majority of tweets have been dismay at Britain's decision to leave the bloc, with Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy enquiring: "Can we take a mulligan on 2016?"

Former England footballer turned BBC football host Gary Lineker tweeted: "What have we gone and done?". Lineker also said: "Feel ashamed of my generation. We've let down our children and their children."

The negative reaction was not only confined to British sports stars, with Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer telling a press conference at Euro 2016 that he and his teammates discussed Brexit on the team bus and admitting that he felt the outcome of the vote was "a pity".

Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech, one of many EU citizens to benefit from free movement within the EU to play his football in England for over a decade with Chelsea and now Arsenal, believes the vote was decided by a "fake campaign and lies".