SKY AND THE BBC hope to come together to stage a debate ahead of Fifa’s presidential election, but it looks like it’s not going to happen.
That’s down to current president Sepp Blatter, who has rejected an offer to take part in the televised debate, reports Richard Conway of the BBC.
According to Conway, Blatter’s three rivals for the job accepted the invitation… on the condition that the other candidates in the running all took part too.
But 79-year-old Blatter, who’s aiming to secure a fifth term of office when the election takes place in Zurich on 29 May, has turned down the opportunity.
The other candidates in the election are Jordanian FA president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Dutch FA president Michael van Praag and former Portugal winger Luis Figo.
“At this stage, the candidates were asked only to express a commitment in principle towards taking part,” reported Richard Conway.
“Further talks between the broadcasters and candidates would then have taken place over the exact format, location and structure of the debate.”