France & Ireland to replay World
Cup Playoff match?
The Football Association of Ireland have lodged a
formal complaint with world governing body FIFA over the Republic
of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off defeat to
France.
The FAI said the integrity of the game has been damaged after
French forward Thierry Henry blatantly handled the ball during
extra time in the lead-up to the winning goal scored by William
Gallas.
"The handball was recognised by the FIFA commissioner, the
referee observer and the match officials, as well as by the player
himself," the FAI said.
Ireland's Justice Minister Dermot Ahern and assistant Republic
of Ireland coach Liam Brady have both called for the game to
replayed.
The FAI said there was precedent for the result to be struck
out. FIFA ordered Uzbekistan to replay Bahrain in a play-off for
the 2006 World Cup in Germany after the referee made a mistake
after a penalty had been awarded.
The governing body described it as a "technical error".
However, in that instance, the referee was guilty of wrongly
applying the rules rather than missing an offence. An indirect
free-kick was awarded against Uzbekistan when one of their players
encroached on the Bahrain penalty area as the Uzbeks successfully
converted a penalty. The correct interpretation would have been to
order the penalty to be retaken.
"The Football Association of Ireland is hoping that FIFA and its
disciplinary committee will, on behalf of football fans worldwide,
act in a similar fashion so that the standards of fair play and
integrity can be protected," the FAI said.
The FAI hit out at the referee, Swedish firefighter Martin
Hansson, who failed to spot Henry use an arm to control the ball
before squaring for team-mate William Gallas to score.
"Conclusive video evidence of a deliberate hand ball by Thierry
Henry, which led to France's additional time goal, has been seen by
millions of football fans worldwide," the FAI said.
"The blatantly incorrect decision by the referee to award the
goal has damaged the integrity of the sport and we now call on
Fifa, as the world governing body for our sport, to organise for
this match to be replayed."
