(Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders would not participate in a proposed debate next month in New Hampshire that would not be sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee, his campaign manager was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the New York Times.

Sanders does not want to participate in the debate on Feb. 4, five days before the state primary election, because he does not want to risk being denied participation in future debates, campaign manager Jeff Weaver said, according to the newspaper.

It would be sponsored by MSNBC and the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper.

(Reporting by Eric Walsh in Washington; Editing by Eric Beech)

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