Fifa rule out Ireland replay

Irish left to rue decision as France assured of World Cup place

Last updated: 20th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Fifa rule out Ireland replay

Henry: Clear handball

Decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final.

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Fifa has confirmed that under no circumstances will Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off with France be replayed.

Wednesday's second-leg clash in Paris has been the subject of intense scrutiny as France progressed courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate success, secured in extra-time largely thanks to Thierry Henry's now infamous double handball prior to William Gallas' leveller on the night.

The Football Association of Ireland had asked Fifa to replay the game as even Henry conceded he had handled the ball before laying on Gallas' equaliser, which booked France's place in South Africa.

Ireland received widespread sympathy throughout the football fraternity following a gutsy display in the French capital, with a number of key figures championing their cause for a replay.

Final

However, such a request has been given short shrift by world football's governing body Fifa, who insist a referee's decision is final in rejecting the FAI's appeal.

"Fifa has today, 20 November 2009, replied to the request made by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to replay the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa play-off match held on 18 November 2009 between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris," read an official statement from Fifa.

"In the reply, Fifa states that 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."

Fifa's response will now be considered by the FAI's board of management, which sits for a pre-arranged meeting on Friday afternoon.

The FAI said in a statement: "Football Association of Ireland today confirmed that it has received correspondence from FIFA rejecting the Association's request for a replay of the World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland.

"A previously scheduled meeting of the FAI board of management will take place this afternoon where the matter will be considered.

"No further comment will be made until this meeting has concluded."

Comments (77)

Chris Baillie (Oldham Athletic fan) says...

FIFA are just condoning cheating whether by accident or not. They have now turned football into the only game in the world where cheats prosper. Time to get these dinosaurs retired and bring younger blood and technology into the game.

Posted 15:17 20th November 2009

Gordon Sutherland says...

I think that football should use video evidence as part of the game as they do in rugby.The matches are now far too important & costly if you sre on the wrong end of a decision.Surely in this day with the technology it would be worth considering.Even having 2 more officials does not mean to say he would have seen the handball in question.

Posted 15:16 20th November 2009

Norman Butcher says...

The UK gave the world football, so after 100 years England were rewarded with hosting the world cup, and won it with the help of the ref¿s. What have they done since? France hosted it and the final was Brazil France fifa did not want a South American team winning it again. The day before look at the disruption in the Brazil camp, France won. Even fifa won¿t dare let South Africa win it, but they will reach the last 4. Mark my words watch the ref¿s in the South Africa games. Not sure what it will take to get video replays. Fifa will fight to stop it, because it would make it that much harder for then to fix matches. Norman Butcher.

Posted 15:16 20th November 2009

Bradley Brooks says...

if it had been the other way round then Ireland wouldnt have been complaining would they?. Yes Henry got away with cheating but its just the same as anybody diving or fouling someone but the ref denying them of a penalty. At the end of the day Fifa are correct not to do anything, if they did look st how many games they would have to correct. shut up moaning and get on with it ireland you werent good enough.

Posted 15:14 20th November 2009

Peter Licko (Manchester United fan) says...

Its pointless even debating this farce as it will continue to happen over and over again untill refs are allowed to refer to video replays before making major decisions. This decision is not just about sport, it has also cost the irish economy millions

Posted 15:13 20th November 2009

Tennessee Red (Liverpool fan) says...

I think FIFA also need to ban Egypt AND Algeria from all competitions until their "fans" stop behaving like animals.

Posted 15:13 20th November 2009

Mike Pierre (West Ham United fan) says...

I feel for the boys in green! lets be realistic though... Henry instinctively controlled the ball with his hands but what a great pass to find to Gallas. The ball should have never reached Henry in the first place! McShane or Given should have claimed the high ball. Lets face it Ireland had enough chances to bury the game in 90 minutes. No comment on FIFA... don't get me started!

Posted 15:06 20th November 2009

Michael Brooks (Leyton Orient fan) says...

Did Ireland really think that PLATINI (the French) will allow this to be replayed when his country is in the finals...that's crazy! But the FIFA is correct though the refferee's decision is final.

Posted 15:06 20th November 2009

Darren Mac (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

The real cheats are FIFA, they agreed to an open draw as the format prior to the group stages but then when it looked like France, Germany and Portugal would finish 2nd they then changed to seedings. If Ireland had 'cheated' then i can imagine FIFA would come out and say that due the high profile of the incident and the fact that many youngsters would copy their hero's that in this instance we are to replay the game but with France qualifying and being the so called cheats then there is no way this would happen unless France, like Arsenal did against Sheff UTD agree to a replay, so come on all you honest french people, err yeah dream on. Blaming the referee is short sighted, remember anelka dived (cheated) when Given came out at him, yet the referee gave what he saw which brings me on to the other issue ... THEY ALL CHEAT, watch when the ball goes into the peanlty area from a set peice with all the grappling and holding, watch when a player feigns an injury so the ball can be kicked out, watch when a player leaves a trailing leg etc etc Is Henry any better or worse than the rest? nooooooo he just got caught red handed (so to speak) and rightly deserves the stick he is going to get for it. FIFA will come out with the old tosh of 'we cannot replay as it sets a precedent etc etc' easy peasy. Well FIFA why not replay and say a line has been drawn in the sand and from this day on we have a further ref in the tv studio (look at rugby it HELPS!!!), football needs this or else football will be left behind.

Posted 15:06 20th November 2009

Stephen Huntley (Liverpool fan) says...

A referees decision is final? why do so many red cards get overturned then? if a red card can be overturned because the decision was wrong then so can the game be replayed for a massive massive mistake from the referee! if you asked him now he would say he got it wrong so overturn the decision obviously you cant go and say ok no goal then and the Republic are through because the game would of been played out differently but a replay has to be sanctioned if we are to stick with fair play. Also who is calling these decisions please dont say blatter and platini because what nationality are these to muppets!

Posted 15:03 20th November 2009

Olive Benton says...

Surprise Surprise, who is the President of FIFA, a Frenchman called Michele Platini. There is no way they would agree to a replay, he would see to that

Posted 14:58 20th November 2009

Stephan Cherre (Arsenal fan) says...

Ok. what amazed me the most is the deep interest shown by english people/fans/ pundits you name it owards the irirsh cause!..since when?... France did not deserve to got through based on their perforamcne alone so never mind about the goal. However in the past, France did have thier fair share of injustice. Let us not mention the game between France and Germany in seville in 1982 WC semi- final. Decsions sometines do not go your way and I must say that Ireland has been on the receiving hand. Videos technology debate will go on but I always think there is justice out there and base on France inability to build a coherent and competitive group for next year WC may be Ireland salvation after all.

Posted 14:56 20th November 2009

James Nugent (Aston Villa fan) says...

This event will change football indefinitely, replay or no replay. There has been a continual increase in the lack of integrity and fair play in football. European football spawned it and embraced it to excess and to its determent. Premier league football has embraced openly. Football needs a proactive conscience and FIFA are desperately inept at providing it. I opine that a replay would add limited integrity and further ridicule to fifa, but would be great for football. Not doing so will harm football and annul FIFA.

Posted 14:52 20th November 2009

Darell Scales (Ipswich Town fan) says...

If it was France vs England and the same thing happened everyone would be wanting a replay! Without a doubt Ireland played very well against France the other day and deserve to be in the World cup finals. Would fifa say the same thing if it was England calling for a replay!? I think so.

Posted 14:51 20th November 2009

Sers Adom says...

I dont understand what all this requests for replays are for. This was just another example of an infringement by a player that was not given by the referee or in another analogy another case of a wrong decision by the referee. As far as I am concerned this is no different to a handball that should hav eresulted in a penalty that did not, or a goal that was given when the ball had not even gone into the net, or an illegal pull or shove or hit when waiting for a corner, which the referee does not award. if the referee had awarded a free-kick, Henry wold not have scored. As it stands those asking for replays should also ask for replays for every game where the referee or linesman makes a wrong decision either positively or negatively. Arsenal lost the 2006 champions league final because of a bad official decision against Henry. France has won a play-off because of a bad official decision for Henry. These things balance out. A game of football is a game of football irrespective of the what is at stake.

Posted 14:44 20th November 2009

Robert Barrett (Liverpool fan) says...

I knew when they seeded the playoffs that ireland had a huge mountain to climb. The Referees were going to be under preesure to give decisions to the so called ''better teams''. Irelands performance the other night was brilliant and they deserve to be in the world cup.

Posted 14:43 20th November 2009

Neil Powell says...

We all knew that France would not been thrown out as there is cheating in Football every week. FIFA should now ban Thiery Henry from the world cup finals and send a strong message to all players that cheating will not be acceptable. All cheats should get automatic bans.

Posted 14:43 20th November 2009

Jackie Harvey (Manchester United fan) says...

when you look at all the photos of Henry handling the ball the irish player Paul McShane is only looking at him when he should have been attacking the ball and driving it over the end line for a corner, but as we say in Ireland he (McShane) would'nt kick snow of a rope mybe thats why he plays for Hull.

Posted 14:37 20th November 2009

Paul Hughes (Liverpool fan) says...

Sad to say, but FIFA got what they wanted, the big club in the World Cup Finals !If that was Robbie Keane handballing it and it led to a goal, I suspect the decision would be made to replay the game.

Posted 14:36 20th November 2009

Drew Hunt says...

How about implementing a challenge like the red flag in american football, each team would get 1 challenge, and the replay could be reviewed upstairs by the officials and in this case the goal would be dissalowed. considering the magnitude of this game i think it would be a good idea.

Posted 14:35 20th November 2009

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