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Elite
The Associated Press
Irish team members were livid after Swedish referee Martin Hansson, left, allowed a goal by William Gallas to stand. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images
FIFA has ruled out the possibility of replaying the France-Ireland World Cup qualifier, rejecting an Irish appeal after Thierry Henry handled the ball to set up the deciding goal in extra time.
"In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed," the international federation said in a statement Friday. "As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."
What Henry said
Quotes from Henry's press release to the British media on Friday.
"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.
"I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball. I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.
"I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand," Henry said. "I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game.
"Naturally, I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa. There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalizing goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish."
But Henry himself said the "fairest solution" would be to replay the match.
Henry issued a statement after Friday's FIFA ruling, admitting he handled the ball and felt embarrassed at how France qualified for the World Cup at the expense of Ireland on Wednesday. But he said the handball was an "instinctive reaction" and denied cheating.
Henry says the fairest solution would be to replay the game, but acknowledged it is not in his control.
The French striker used his left hand to keep the ball from going out of play, then passed to William Gallas, who headed in the decisive goal. At the time of Henry's unpunished handball, the match was 17 minutes from reaching a penalty shootout.
The game at Stade de France ended in a 1-1 draw, enough to put France through to next year's World Cup in South Africa 2-1 on aggregate because the 1998 world champions won the first leg of the playoff in Dublin 1-0.
Henry admitted later that he handled the ball, but Swedish referee Martin Hansson did not spot the infraction.
France coach unapologetic
France coach Raymond Domenech says he and his players see no reason to apologize for the Henry handball.
Domenech said his team does not feel guilty about the way Henry handled the ball with his left hand before setting up Gallas' goal.
Domenech said on L'Express magazine's website that he "didn't understand why we have been asked to apologize."
In Dublin on Friday, the Football Association of Ireland said it had received FIFA's statement rejecting a replay. The FAI said its management board would meet to consider the matter later Friday.
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he would raise the issue with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at a meeting of the 27 EU leaders in Brussels.
FIFA did order Uzbekistan and Bahrain to replay a World Cup qualifying match in 2005 following a referee's critical error. However, there is no precedent to order a replay because of second-guessing a referee's judgment on the field of play.
Irish lawmaker Joe McHugh said France should follow the 1999 precedent set by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, a Frenchman who volunteered to replay a match in England's FA Cup after the Gunners won on an unfair goal.
Irish team members were livid after Swedish referee Martin Hansson, left, allowed a goal by William Gallas to stand. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images
FIFA has ruled out the possibility of replaying the France-Ireland World Cup qualifier, rejecting an Irish appeal after Thierry Henry handled the ball to set up the deciding goal in extra time.
"In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed," the international federation said in a statement Friday. "As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."
What Henry said
Quotes from Henry's press release to the British media on Friday.
"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.
"I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball. I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.
"I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand," Henry said. "I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game.
"Naturally, I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa. There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalizing goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish."
But Henry himself said the "fairest solution" would be to replay the match.
Henry issued a statement after Friday's FIFA ruling, admitting he handled the ball and felt embarrassed at how France qualified for the World Cup at the expense of Ireland on Wednesday. But he said the handball was an "instinctive reaction" and denied cheating.
Henry says the fairest solution would be to replay the game, but acknowledged it is not in his control.
The French striker used his left hand to keep the ball from going out of play, then passed to William Gallas, who headed in the decisive goal. At the time of Henry's unpunished handball, the match was 17 minutes from reaching a penalty shootout.
The game at Stade de France ended in a 1-1 draw, enough to put France through to next year's World Cup in South Africa 2-1 on aggregate because the 1998 world champions won the first leg of the playoff in Dublin 1-0.
Henry admitted later that he handled the ball, but Swedish referee Martin Hansson did not spot the infraction.
France coach unapologetic
France coach Raymond Domenech says he and his players see no reason to apologize for the Henry handball.
Domenech said his team does not feel guilty about the way Henry handled the ball with his left hand before setting up Gallas' goal.
Domenech said on L'Express magazine's website that he "didn't understand why we have been asked to apologize."
In Dublin on Friday, the Football Association of Ireland said it had received FIFA's statement rejecting a replay. The FAI said its management board would meet to consider the matter later Friday.
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he would raise the issue with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at a meeting of the 27 EU leaders in Brussels.
FIFA did order Uzbekistan and Bahrain to replay a World Cup qualifying match in 2005 following a referee's critical error. However, there is no precedent to order a replay because of second-guessing a referee's judgment on the field of play.
Irish lawmaker Joe McHugh said France should follow the 1999 precedent set by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, a Frenchman who volunteered to replay a match in England's FA Cup after the Gunners won on an unfair goal.
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