FIFA paid the Irish FA (FAI) five million euros ($5.64 million) to avoid a legal case over a controversial World Cup play-off defeat in 2009, FAI chief executive John Delaney said yesterday.
Last night, FIFA admitted paying the FAI $5million as compensation for the infamous Thierry Henry handball.
Ireland were knocked out by France in a two-legged play-off to qualify for the 2010 South Africa tournament, with the decisive goal in the second leg coming after a handball by French striker Henry in extra time. Henry blatantly stopped the ball going out of play with his hand, before crossing for William Gallas to score. The game in Paris in 2009 ended 1-1 with France progressing to the finals 2-1 on aggregate.
With moral outrage over the goal in Ireland and beyond, FIFA president Sepp Blatter revealed that the FAI had asked the governing body to be handed a “33rd place” in the World Cup at a confidential meeting to discuss a possible replay.
Delaney criticised Blatter at the time for his handling of the incident and accused the Swiss of being “disrespectful”.
Speaking to Irish state broadcaster RTE yesterday, Delaney said: “It was a payment to the association... not to proceed with a legal case.
“We felt we had a legal case against FIFA because of how the World Cup hadn’t worked out because of the Thierry Henry handball, also the way (Sepp) Blatter behaved if you remember on stage, having a snigger, having a laugh at us.
“So that day when I went in and told him how I felt about him... there were some expletives used, we came to an agreement.
“That was the Thursday and on Monday the agreement was all signed and all done. It was a very good agreement for the FAI, a very legitimate agreement for the FAI.”
The payment, initially a loan, was agreed in return for the FAI not taking the case to court.
“Had Ireland qualified for the 2014 finals they would have had to pay the money back.
FIFA said in a statement yesterday: “While the referee’s decision is final, and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) ultimately accepted it as such, in January 2010 FIFA entered into an agreement with FAI in order to put an end to any claims against FIFA.
“FIFA granted FAI a loan of USD 5 million for the construction of a stadium in Ireland. At the same time, UEFA also granted the FAI funds for the same stadium.
“The terms agreed between FIFA and the FAI were that the loan would be reimbursed if Ireland qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
“Ireland did not so qualify. Because of this, and in view of the FAI’s financial situation, FIFA decided to write off the loan as per 31 December 2014.”
Henry’s handball became known as “Le Hand of God” – a reference to Diego Maradona’s handball goal against England at the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico.