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Blatter Rejected UEFA Leader's Call To Resign

The head of UEFA, Michel Platini, has confirmed he asked Sepp Blatter to resign as FIFA president this morning - but he refused to do so.

Speaking at a press conference in Zurich, Mr Platini revealed that he had urged the embattled leader to step down because he was giving FIFA a "terrible image".

However, Mr Blatter said "he couldn't leave all of a sudden", as the FIFA Congress is due to begin later this afternoon.

Mr Platini did not rule out the possibility of European football teams boycotting a World Cup if Mr Blatter was re-elected.

"We will be open to all options. I honestly don't wish that," he said.

The UEFA boss told reporters "people have had enough" - and appealed for other confederations to vote for Mr Blatter's only opponent, Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan, in the FIFA presidential election on Friday.

"Tomorrow, when it comes to the election of the president, a very, very, very big number of European associations will vote for Prince Ali," Mr Platini said.

The executive claimed that he had wanted to ask Mr Blatter for his resignation "man to man, face to face" during a crisis meeting with football leaders in Zurich.

However, the FIFA president invited him to air his grievances in front of other confederation leaders.

"I was very clear, I told him that I would have liked to have told him this among the two of us," Mr Platini said in French.

"I'm saying this with sadness and tears in my eyes, but there have been too many scandals, FIFA doesn't deserve to be treated that way.

"It's the mother of football, and you cannot attack the mother of football this way."

The emergency talks, where UEFA called for Mr Blatter's resignation, came as Swiss police confirmed they will be questioning 10 FIFA executives over the decision to award World Cups to Russia and Qatar, and sponsors expressed serious concerns over a corruption scandal engulfing the governing body.

Mr Blatter has remained out of the public eye for two days - missing three scheduled appearances. However, he is expected to appear at the opening ceremony for the FIFA Congress later this afternoon.

His only opponent in tomorrow's presidential election, Prince Ali of Jordan, has received the backing of English FA chairman Greg Dyke - and the Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Mr Dyke has warned it would be impossible to rebuild trust in FIFA if Mr Blatter remained at the helm.

"(Blatter) either has to go through a resignation, or he has to be outvoted, or we have to find a third way," he said.

David Gill, the former chief executive of Manchester United, has confirmed he will resign as Britain's FIFA vice-president if Mr Blatter is re-elected.

Telling reporters that world football was "crying out" for a new leader, he said: "If you look at the charge sheet handed down yesterday, it was enormous – over many years. The 2018/22 World Cups… what happened with the elections.

"There is no way the president, who worked for FIFA for many years, can walk away and ignore that. It is on his watch – he has overseen it.

"To my mind, if I was in that situation I would have to move on resign – and recognise that this is about the game, not individuals."

Although UEFA has ruled out boycotting the FIFA Congress, the confederation had wanted the presidential election to be postponed by six months.

However, a source close to Prince Ali said he wanted the election to go ahead as scheduled, as he believes there is a "strong possibility" he can win.

Former footballers have given their reaction to the ongoing FIFA crisis.

Diego Maradona said he was "enjoying" the spectacle of top football officials being arrested.

He added: "We have a FIFA with millions of dollars and there are players in Uruguay, in Costa Rica, where I'm told they don't earn more than $150 (£98) a month."

Meanwhile, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker told the Mirror: "If any other organisation on the planet was found to be as corrupt as FIFA, then the man at the top would go. But Blatter has his own fiefdom and he seems immune to it."

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