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Sepp Blatter lies low as David Cameron joins opposition to FIFA president's re-election

FIFA president Sepp Blatter
Image: Sepp Blatter: Keeping a low profile in Zurich after Wednesday's arrests

Sepp Blatter held an emergency meeting in Zurich on Thursday morning as David Cameron joined those calling for his head.

Blatter pulled out of a planned appearance at FIFA's medical conference, instead convening the heads of the six continental confederations to discuss the fallout from this week's dramatic events.

As it stands Friday's presidential election is going ahead despite revelations on Wednesday that two separate FIFA-related criminal investigations are under way.

In the meantime the clamour for rival candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein has reached Downing Street, with a spokesman confirming the Prime Minister is behind the Football Association's decision to back the Jordanian.

The spokesman said: "The responsibility with regard to football administration is for football administrators but the FA - and we are squarely behind the FA - supports the candidacy of Prince Ali and we are four square behind that."

UEFA 's member associations are meeting to discuss a possible boycott of Friday's vote in the wake of revelations that two separate FIFA-related criminal investigations have been opened, while FA boss Greg Dyke has led the calls for Blatter to quit.

The 79-year-old insists he welcomes the criminal investigations and remains fully committed to "rooting out any wrongdoing in football".

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Despite that statement, it emerged early on Thursday a second morning would pass without Blatter running the gauntlet of the waiting press - including Sky Sports News HQ's Gary Cotterill - by attending the medical conference as expected.

He is also due to speak at the congress' official opening ceremony, scheduled for 4pm (UK time) this afternoon.

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Sky Sports News HQ's Gary Cotterill brings you the latest updates on the FIFA crisis live from Zurich

FIFA's chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said Blatter had sent his apologies, adding: "The president has to fulfil his duty in the management of the situation. That is probably more important than to come to us, even if medicine is very close to his heart."

Managing the situation includes dealing with renewed calls to resign, not least from FA chairman Dyke, who said on Wednesday evening: "Blatter has put out a statement saying now is the time to start rebuilding the trust in FIFA. There is no way of rebuilding trust in FIFA while Sepp Blatter is still there.

"Sepp Blatter has to go. He either has to go through a resignation, or he has to be out-voted or we have to find a third way.

"I think the time has come where the damage this has done to FIFA is so great that it can't be rebuilt while Blatter is there, so UEFA has got to try to force him out."

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UEFA has called for Sepp Blatter to be removed as FIFA President

Seven serving FIFA officials were among those arrested on Wednesday as part of a United States Justice Department investigation into corruption stretching back more than two decades.

In a separate development, the Swiss authorities announced they plan to interview 10 former members of the organisation's executive committee as part of a criminal investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Blatter is not among those 10, according to a spokesman for the office of Switzerland's attorney general who said on Thursday: "For the time being, there are no plans to question the FIFA president."

And he retains the support of the Confederation of African Football, which has pledged to back the president en masse and on Thursday said the election should go ahead as planned.

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