FIFA election: Now BBC wants to host presidential TV debate

Presidential debate

By Andrew Warshaw
January 18 – Negotiations are under way for the BBC to stage a live debate with candidates in the build-up to the FIFA presidential election on February 26.

Last week, US broadcaster ESPN pulled the plug on a similar idea scheduled for January 29 because only Prince Ali bin al-Hussein and Jerome Champagne were available. “We invited all five candidates to take part in a debate and made every effort to explore logistical options with them,” an ESPN spokesman was quoted as saying. “Ultimately, we did not gain the commitments needed to deliver a programme that would meet our standards.”

Now, however, the BBC has stepped in and is understood to have already received assurances from three of the five candidates for the round-table debate to be held in mid-February in London. Tokyo Sexwale and emerging favourite Sheikh Salman are still considering whether to accept the invitation.

No televised debate has ever before been held in a FIFA presidential election. BBC and Sky made a similar proposal before last May’s vote but Sepp Blatter, who ended up winning 133-73 against Prince Ali, turned down the invitation. Next month’s programme, if it goes ahead, would be simultaneously broadcast on television (globally and domestically), radio and the BBC’s website, with opening and closing statements from the candidates and questions submitted by the public.

Meanwhile, four of the five candidates are now expected to take part in a separate forum next week being convened in Brussels by the European Parliament Sports Intergroup and #NewFIFANow, the UK-based lobby group.

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