October 7 – An invitation to FIFA presidential candidates to present their respective cases for taking over from Sepp Blatter has not got off to the best of starts with Michel Platini reportedly saying he cannot attend the forum in Strasbourg scheduled for 48 hours after the deadline for nominations.
All announced contenders had been invited “to present their platform to FIFA reform campaign groups and members of parliaments” by organisers who include Damian Collins, the UK politician who runs the NewFifaNow pressure group.
Whether Platini is still in the race by then anyway is open to question after revelations that he waited nine years before receiving a payment of SFr2 million from FIFA for work undertaken between 1999 and 2002.
The October 28 forum may end up having few participants if Chung Mong-joon of South Korea is suspended by FIFA’s ethics committee as he believes he is about to be.
A statement said: “Michel Platini has responded, saying he cannot go. Three others have asked for a change of date which we’re currently looking at, as we would like to be able to accommodate them in the interests of the football fan community and other stakeholders.”
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