FIFA reject replay as play-off row rumbles on
Reuters - Friday 20 November 2009, 22:34
LONDON - A day that began with FIFA ruling
out a replay of the France v Ireland World Cup play-off ended,
after pleas, denials and opinions from all quarters, with the
French still heading for South Africa and the Irish seething.
William Gallas's extra-time equaliser, created with the help
of Thierry Henry's handball, in Wednesday's 1-1 draw in Paris
that sent France through with a 2-1 aggregate win must already
be among the most replayed of recent years.
It has also become one of the most widely discussed with
both team captains, the rival federations, political figures
from the two countries and a host of managers across Europe
giving an opinion on the issue on Friday.
Despite Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni saying that
requesting a replay was pointless, the FA of Ireland (FAI),
supported by the country's government, duly did so on Thursday.
As widely expected, FIFA wasted little time in rejecting the
plea, issuing a statement on Friday saying:
"The result of the match cannot be changed and the match
cannot be replayed. As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the
Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and
these decisions are final."
Soon afterwards, Henry issued a statement that said:
"Naturally, I feel embarrassed at the way we won and feel
extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in
South Africa.
FAIREST SOLUTION
"Of course, the fairest solution would be to replay the game
but it is not in my control. There is little more I can do apart
from admit the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our
equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish.
"I am not a cheat and never have been."
Ireland captain Robbie Keane responded with his own appeal.
"To make such a statement took courage and honour, and all
of us recognise that," he said. "I would also be happy for a
replay to happen in the interest of fair play so that whichever
team qualifies, can do so with their heads held high.
"We can only hope the French Football Federation might
accept the wishes of both captains in the best interests of the
game."
The FAI board met later in the day and echoed Keane's plea,
calling on the French federation to "join with it and the
captains of the French and Irish teams... to request a replay
from FIFA that would protect the integrity of the game worldwide
and the pride of the French national team."
In Dublin, Irish fans protested outside the French Embassy
while Irish politicians continued to rail against the injustice.
Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher, leader of the Fianna Fail group in
the European Parliament, said he would raise the issue when the
parliament convenes in Strasbourg on Monday.
FRENCH EMBARRASSMENT
As club managers around Europe spoke to the media ahead of
their weekend games, Henry's handball dominated the agenda, with
his former boss at Arsenal, Frenchman Arsene Wenger, defending
the striker but agreeing a replay should take place.
"Football and sport in general is full of heroes who have
cheated 10 times more than Thierry - he is super-fair," he said.
"France has to say 'yes it was a handball and we offer a
replay'. It is embarrassing to qualify the way we qualified."
One dissenting Irish voice was that of the national team's
former captain Roy Keane, now manager of Championship club Ipswich Town.
Keane, who walked out on the eve of the 2002 World Cup after
rowing with Irish officials, pointed to a controversial penalty
in Ireland's favour in a 2-1 qualifying win over Georgia.
"I don't remember the FAI after that game saying we should
give them a replay," he said.
Unsurprisingly, the French federation (FFF) put the issue to
bed with its own statement saying the organisation understood
the "disappointment and bitterness of the Irish players,
officials and fans" but had no plans to ask for a replay.
"The decision by FIFA is final and should be respected by
both federations," the FFF said. "The FFF never tried to deny
that a refereeing mistake led to the French goal being awarded."
One thing most observers were united about was the need to
introduce the use of cameras to assist match officials.
"The biggest anger for me is that we are still in 2009,
sitting here where millions of people see what happened, one guy
doesn't see it and we can't help him," Wenger said.