FIFA admits paying Ireland for playoff loss
Print Edition
FIFA paid Ireland’s FA (FAI) 5 million euros to avoid a legal case over a controversial World Cup playoff defeat — 50 percent more than the US$5 million it reported on Thursday at 2009 exchange rates, world soccer’s governing body said yesterday.
Ireland was knocked out by France in a two-legged playoff to qualify for the 2010 South Africa tournament, with the decisive goal in the second leg coming after a handball by French striker Thierry Henry in extra time.
With moral outrage over the goal in Ireland, FIFA came to a financial agreement with the FAI not to proceed with legal action to overturn the result.
The head of the Irish FA told state radio RTE that the deal was reached within days of a speech by FIFA president Sepp Blatter on November 30, 2009.
FIFA on Thursday for the first time admitted a payment, which it said was US$5 million. But yesterday it said it had actually paid 5 million euros, the equivalent of US$7.5 million at exchange rates at the end of November 2009.
FAI chief executive John 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... It was a very good agreement for the FAI, a very legitimate agreement for the FAI.”
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