República de Irlanda vs Francia fue un partido de desempate de fútbol a dos partidos celebrado los días 14 y 18 de noviembre de 2009 entre las selecciones nacionales de la República de Irlanda y Francia como parte de la segunda ronda de clasificación de la UEFA para la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2010 . El primer partido se celebró el 14 de noviembre en Croke Park , Dublín , Irlanda , y terminó con una victoria de Francia por 1-0 con el gol de Nicolas Anelka . El partido de vuelta, jugado el 18 de noviembre en el Stade de France en las afueras de París, Francia, terminó 1-0 ante la República de Irlanda (con Robbie Keane puntuación). La eliminatoria se fue a la prórroga y un polémico gol de William Gallas habilitado por Thierry Henry manejando el balón dos veces hizo que el marcador 2-1 en el global y Francia avanzara a la Copa del Mundo a expensas de Irlanda.
Evento | Clasificación para la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2010 Segunda ronda de la UEFA | ||||||
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Francia se clasifica para el Mundial de 2010 | |||||||
Primera pierna | |||||||
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Fecha | 14 de noviembre de 2009 | ||||||
Lugar de eventos | Croke Park , Dublín , Irlanda | ||||||
Árbitro | Felix Brych ( Alemania ) | ||||||
Asistencia | 74,103 | ||||||
Segunda pierna | |||||||
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Después de tiempo extra | |||||||
Fecha | 18 de noviembre de 2009 | ||||||
Lugar de eventos | Stade de France , Saint-Denis , Francia | ||||||
Árbitro | Martin Hansson ( Suecia ) | ||||||
Asistencia | 79,145 |
Tras el partido de vuelta, el capitán francés Thierry Henry admitió ante el defensa irlandés Richard Dunne que había manipulado ilegalmente el balón en la preparación del gol de la victoria de Gallas, que se había anotado en la prórroga con 17 minutos para el final del partido. .
El incidente dio lugar a llamadas de la Asociación de Fútbol de Irlanda y el Gobierno de Irlanda al organismo rector mundial de la FIFA para que se dejara de lado el resultado y que se repitiera el juego, y más tarde para que Irlanda pudiera ingresar a la Copa del Mundo como 33º equipo supernumerario sin precedentes. [1] Henry, previamente visto por muchos en el deporte como un futbolista justo, se caracterizó como el engaño, [2] con el incidente que la comparen con Diego Maradona 's objetivo 'Mano de Dios' , y TIEMPO revista comparando gol de Henry (a veces llamado "Le Hand of God" [3] ) a una lista de los diez mejores trucos deportivos. [4] Henry consideró retirarse del fútbol internacional debido a las reacciones al juego, mientras que el árbitro sueco Martin Hansson consideró renunciar como árbitro. [5] [6]
El resultado provocó un debate sobre el tema del juego limpio en el fútbol y alimentó el debate en curso sobre la introducción del video arbitraje y árbitros asistentes adicionales en el deporte. En una reunión de emergencia del Comité Ejecutivo de la FIFA convocada en parte como resultado de la controversia sobre el balonmano, la FIFA anunció que estaba preparando una investigación sobre las opciones de tecnología u oficiales adicionales en el fútbol, pero descartó que se introduzcan cambios a tiempo para el Copa del Mundo 2010. El caso de Henry pasó a la Comisión Disciplinaria de la FIFA para su investigación, que dictaminó que no podía sancionar a Henry según el texto del Código Disciplinario de la FIFA.
Ruta a los partidos
El proceso de clasificación para la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2010 en Sudáfrica comenzó en 2007, y como equipos afiliados a Europa (ambos miembros de la UEFA ), Francia y la República de Irlanda se convirtieron en dos de los 53 equipos que compiten por 13 lugares en la fase final.
Según las reglas del torneo de 2010, la clasificación de la UEFA fue un proceso de dos etapas, como había sido el caso anteriormente para la clasificación en 2006 . Los equipos pudieron clasificar automáticamente al ganar uno de los nueve grupos de clasificación (la primera ronda), y se les dio una segunda oportunidad de clasificar a ocho de los nueve que terminaron en segundo lugar a través de una fase eliminatoria (la segunda ronda ) de cuatro juegos. entre esos ocho equipos en segundo lugar, disputados a dos partidos , en casa y fuera , y los ganadores de cada pareja reciben uno de los cuatro lugares restantes de clasificación de la UEFA. Tanto Francia como la República de Irlanda no lograron clasificarse como ganadores de sus grupos de primera ronda (Francia en el Grupo 7 , la República en el Grupo 8 ), pero ambos equipos terminaron en segundo lugar con suficientes puntos para permitirles avanzar a la segunda ronda. .
La FIFA anunció el 29 de septiembre de 2009 que modificaría el sistema de sorteo utilizado para seleccionar emparejamientos de segunda ronda mediante la introducción de un sistema de clasificación. [7] En el sorteo, celebrado en Zúrich el 19 de octubre, los ocho equipos se dividieron en dos botes de cuatro; Francia fue sembrada junto con Grecia , Portugal y Rusia , mientras que Irlanda no fue sembrada, junto con Bosnia y Herzegovina , Eslovenia y Ucrania . Irlanda fue atraída para jugar contra Francia, y el primero de sus dos partidos se jugará en Irlanda el 14 de noviembre de 2009. [8] La forma en que se manejó el proceso de clasificación llevó a algunos a afirmar en ese momento que la UEFA había cambiado las reglas a mitad de camino para favorecer a los equipos de más alto perfil como Francia y Portugal, prefiriéndolos para clasificar sobre naciones "más pequeñas". [9] [10]
La fecha del 18 de noviembre del partido de vuelta de la eliminatoria entre Francia y la República de Irlanda en Saint-Denis coincidió con la fecha de otros partidos de clasificación para la Copa del Mundo en todo el mundo, lo que marcó la finalización de todo el proceso de clasificación para 2010. Con su victoria, Francia finalmente se unió a Argelia , Grecia , Eslovenia , Portugal y Uruguay como el último de los 32 competidores en Sudáfrica.
Según los criterios de desempate acordados, el equipo que marque más goles en total gana el desempate. Si los marcadores están empatados en conjunto, el equipo con el mayor número de goles a domicilio avanza. Si los equipos están empatados en goles a domicilio, se juegan 30 minutos de tiempo extra . Si el marcador está empatado después de la prórroga, el partido va a penales.
Previo al partido
Selección de lugar
El tramo de Dublín de la eliminatoria se llevó a cabo en Croke Park en lugar del tradicional local de la República de Irlanda de Lansdowne Road , debido a la remodelación en curso de ese lugar como el Estadio Aviva . El partido francés se llevó a cabo en el Stade de France , el estadio nacional del equipo francés cerca de París.
Análisis
Antes de 1990, la República de Irlanda nunca se había clasificado para la fase final de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA, mientras que el mejor récord de Francia fue de dos terceros puestos, en 1958 y 1986 . Entre 1990 y 2006 (año en el que se celebró la última Copa Mundial de la FIFA), la República de Irlanda y Francia se habían clasificado para tres torneos finales. Los récords de los dos equipos para el torneo fueron los siguientes:
Finales | País / países anfitriones | Francia | Republica de Irlanda | ||
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Calificación | Finales | Calificación | Finales | ||
1990 | Italia | No clasificó - tercer lugar en el Grupo 5 | n / A | Como uno de los dos mejores clasificados en segundo lugar (en el Grupo 6 ) | Perdió ante Italia en cuartos de final |
1994 | Estados Unidos | No clasificó - tercer lugar en el Grupo 6 | n / A | Automático como subcampeones del Grupo 3 | Perdió ante Holanda en los octavos de final |
1998 | Francia | Automático como hosts | Champions (derrotó a Brasil 3-0) | No se clasificó - terminó segundo en el Grupo 8 ; perdió el play-off de segunda ronda ante Bélgica 2-3 en el global | n / A |
2002 | Corea del Sur Japón | Automático como campeones defensores | Eliminado en la fase de grupos | Avanzado como subcampeones del Grupo 2 ; se clasificó al derrotar a Irán 2-1 en el global en el play-off intercontinental UEFA / AFC | Perdido ante España en octavos de final |
2006 | Alemania | Como ganadores del Grupo 4 de la Primera Ronda de la UEFA | Perdió en la final 3-5 en los penaltis contra Italia (la puntuación fue 1-1 en tiempo real ) | No se clasificó - cuarto lugar en el Grupo 4 | n / A |
Partidos
Pierna de Dublín
Resumen
El equipo de la República de Irlanda eligió una formación equilibrada 4-4-2 , mientras que el equipo francés optó por su habitual formación 4-2-3-1 , favoreciendo el juego ofensivo sobre la defensa.
Detalles
Republica de Irlanda ![]() | 0-1 | ![]() |
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Informe | Anelka![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Republica de Irlanda | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Francia |
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[11]
Pierna de Saint-Denis
Resumen
Un caso controvertido de mala conducta ocurrió durante la prórroga en el partido de vuelta de la eliminatoria a dos piernas , cuando la puntuación general se situó en 1-1 en el global . El jugador francés Florent Malouda lanzó un tiro libre justo fuera del círculo central en la mitad irlandesa del campo. Lo lanzó hacia el capitán francés Thierry Henry , que estaba corriendo en el área de penalti hacia el costado derecho del arquero irlandés Shay Given . El balón rebotó una vez hacia Henry, ahora dentro del área de portería a la izquierda de la portería. Mientras rebotaba hacia arriba, Henry manejó el balón dos veces con la mano izquierda, deteniéndolo fuera de juego y controlando el balón, antes de tocar el balón con la parte exterior de su pie derecho y pasar a Given, que estaba junto al poste de la portería. El balón recorrió la corta distancia hasta que William Gallas llegó en el centro de la portería, quien cabeceó el balón en la red irlandesa para confirmar el lugar de Francia en la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2010 .
El árbitro señaló inmediatamente que el gol era válido. Los jugadores irlandeses dentro del área de penaltis apelaron la decisión levantando los brazos, y mientras Henry se alejaba para celebrar la portería irlandesa, Given corrió hacia el árbitro gesticulando que había ocurrido una infracción de balonmano, mientras que el técnico irlandés Giovanni Trapattoni hizo lo mismo. al cuarto árbitro .
La infracción de balonmano no fue vista por el árbitro ni sus dos asistentes, según la BBC. [12] Los oficiales del partido también fallaron un fuera de juego durante la misma fase de juego. [13]
Detalles
Francia ![]() | 1–1 ( aet ) | ![]() |
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Gallas![]() | Informe | Keane![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Francia | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Republica de Irlanda |
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[14]
Después del partido
Vista de los participantes del partido
Thierry Henry
Henry le dijo a un periodista después del incidente: "Sí, hubo mano, pero yo no soy el árbitro. 'Toto' ( Sébastien Squillaci ) iba por el frente, yo estaba detrás de dos irlandeses, el balón rebotó y golpeó mi mano. Por supuesto, seguí jugando ... El árbitro no pitó 'mano' pero no puedo decir que no haya mano ". [15] Henry más tarde se defendió de las críticas, afirmando: "Obviamente, hubiera preferido que las cosas salieran de otra manera, pero yo no soy el funcionario. No creo que hayamos robado la calificación". [dieciséis]
Después de que la FIFA denegara la solicitud de la Asociación de Fútbol de Irlanda (FAI) para una repetición, Henry emitió un comunicado. [13] [17]
La solución más justa sería volver a jugar el juego, pero no está bajo mi control ... Naturalmente, me siento avergonzado por la forma en que ganamos y lo siento mucho por los irlandeses que definitivamente merecen estar en Sudáfrica ... Lo he dicho en ese momento y volveré a decir que 'sí' manejé el balón. No soy un tramposo y nunca lo he sido. Fue una reacción instintiva a un balón que venía extremadamente rápido en un área de penalti abarrotada ... Como futbolista, no puedes darte el lujo de que la televisión reduzca el ritmo del balón 100 veces para poder hacer un gol. decisión consciente ... La gente está viendo una versión en cámara lenta de lo que sucedió y no lo que yo o cualquier otro futbolista enfrentamos en el juego. Si la gente lo mira a toda velocidad, verá que fue una reacción instintiva. [17]
Henry dijo que había considerado dejar el fútbol internacional después de las reacciones al incidente, pero sus amigos y familiares lo persuadieron de que no lo hiciera. [5] [18] Criticó a la Federación Francesa de Fútbol (FFF) por su falta de apoyo a raíz de la controversia. [18] Lamentó la celebración inmediata del gol pero lo achacó a la emoción del momento, y reflexionó que no informar al árbitro había sido un error. [5] [18] Sobre el tema del impacto duradero del incidente, Henry dijo: "No creo que todo lo que he logrado en mi carrera hasta ahora se vea arruinado por esto". [5]
Henry llamó más tarde al presidente de la FIFA, Sepp Blatter, por el incidente. [19] [20] Blatter dijo que Henry le había dicho que sus fans habían amenazado a su familia por el incidente. [21]
Árbitro del partido
El partido fue oficiado por un equipo sueco . Martin Hansson fue el árbitro del partido , asistido por sus dos árbitros asistentes , Fredrik Nilsson y Stefan Wittberg . [22]
El árbitro Hansson dijo a Sveriges Radio Blekinge: "No puedo comentar sobre el juego en sí, pero la vida debe continuar. Yo también aguantaré esta tormenta". [23] [24] En su primer comentario sustancial sobre el incidente, Hansson habló con el periódico regional sueco Sydöstran el 24 de noviembre. [6] [25] Si bien repitió el hecho de que las reglas de la FIFA le impedían comentar sobre el juego hasta que concluyó la investigación, [6] dijo que el incidente no fue culpa suya ni de su equipo de árbitros. [6] [25] [26] Refiriéndose a una ilustración gráfica impresa anteriormente en The Times y reproducida en algunos periódicos suecos, dijo que "[la gráfica] aclara a todo el equipo arbitral en este incidente". [25] [26] La imagen, titulada "Por qué se perdió el árbitro", pretendía mostrar cómo ni el árbitro ni el árbitro asistente pudieron haber visto el incidente del balonmano, debido a la presencia de tres jugadores irlandeses que bloqueaban la vista de Hansson desde su posición. en el borde del área penal , y la posición del portero irlandés Shay Given oscureciendo la línea de visión del árbitro asistente , Nilsson, que estaba de pie en la línea de banda derecha. [22] [27] También afirmó que la reacción al juego lo había hecho considerar dejar su trabajo como árbitro. [6] [25] [26] El 21 de junio, durante la final de la Copa del Mundo, Hansson dijo: "Después del partido, estábamos sentados en el vestuario y lloré. Me di cuenta del error que había cometido". [28]
Jefes de equipo
El técnico de Irlanda, Giovanni Trapattoni, declaró que no culpaba a Henry, ni esperaba que se produjera una repetición, pero sí creía que el incidente ejercería más presión sobre la FIFA para que introdujera la tecnología de la línea de gol , afirmando "Hay una parada de 30 segundos y nosotros aclarar la situación ... Estoy seguro de que en el futuro tendrán que hacer algo al respecto. No le correspondía a Henry decir 'lo toqué con la mano' ". [12] Trapattoni también cuestionó la selección del árbitro del partido, afirmando que "Para este partido importante necesitábamos un árbitro más fuerte, un árbitro importante", y también cuestionó el formato de los partidos de la ronda de clasificación. [12]
El técnico del equipo francés Raymond Domenech dijo sobre el partido: "No veo qué podríamos haber hecho mejor ... Necesitábamos clasificarnos y lo hicimos, incluso si fue doloroso. Victorias como esta, al final de un Campaña difícil, darle corazón y alma a este lateral ”, aunque prosiguieron las críticas en Francia a su equipo, que había existido antes del partido. [29] Domenech luego criticó la condena de Henry y Francia, y cuestionó el derecho de ex jugadores franceses como Cantona y Lizarazu a criticar su historial como entrenador francés. [30]
Other players
Ireland captain and scorer of Ireland's goal in the controversial match Robbie Keane criticised the presidents of FIFA and UEFA following the result, claiming they would be 'delighted' that France had gone through.[16] He told BBC Radio Five Live, "They're all probably clapping hands, Platini sitting up there on the phone to Sepp Blatter, probably texting each other, delighted with the result."[16] After Henry's statement, Keane concurred with his call for a replay in the interest of fair play, stating "On behalf of the Republic of Ireland players, I would like to thank Thierry Henry... As captain of the French team, to make such a statement took courage and honour, and all of us recognise that".[31]
In general, the Irish players blamed the officials rather than Henry. Damien Duff[32] admitted he would have done the same had it been to Ireland's advantage, and said: "If it was down the other end and it was going out of play, I would have chanced my arm. You can't blame him (Henry). He's a clever player – but you expect the ref to see it, it was so blatant." Many players, including Duff, supported call for the introduction of video technology. Sean St Ledger hoped France would be put in a 'group of death' in the World Cup draw, but feared they might go on to win the tournament.[33]
Defender Richard Dunne later spoke of how he was unaware of the extent of Henry's involvement when he sat down with him on the pitch at the end of the match and admitted the handball.[34] Dunne properly viewed the incident for the first time on a computer in his team's dressing room.[34] He also described how "heartbreaking" the whole experience was, his lack of interest in the draw or who France's opponents might be in the finals and how "disappointing" it would be when the tournament eventually took place.[34]
Given was critical of Sepp Blatter's later actions, stating his various announcements "rubbed salt in the wounds" and his contradictory comments about Henry were "beyond a joke".[35] He expressed doubt he would get over the incident in his lifetime.[35] Of Henry, he said "I'm not saying he's a cheat but what he's done is illegal".[36]
Dunne was later critical of Blatter's offer of moral compensation, describing it as "taking the mickey".[37] He doubted Robbie Keane would be going to FIFA to collect any such award.[37] He reiterated the belief that ever since the earlier seedings controversy, FIFA had been showing France unfair favour.[36]
Action taken
FAI appeal
The FAI filed a formal complaint with FIFA and the FFF, stating, "The handball was recognised by the FIFA commissioner, the referee observer and the match officials, as well as by the player himself."[12] The FAI cited precedent for the invalidation of the result, using the example of a previous World Cup qualification match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain, overturned by FIFA due to a 'technical error by the referee of the match'.[12][13] In that game, the referee had failed to have a penalty kick re-taken after an attacker encroached on the penalty area.[38] FAI chief executive John Delaney said "It is up to the people who govern the game now, if they really believe in the principles of fair play then step forward....If we had qualified in this manner, I wouldn't be happy"[12] The president of the (FFF) Jean-Pierre Escalettes said "You have to take a philosophical approach to this match."[39]
On 20 November, FIFA rejected the request for a replay, stating to the FAI:
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.[1]
After FIFA and Thierry Henry's statement, the FAI urged the FFF to respect their views and those of the captains of both teams, to replay the game to "protect the integrity of the game worldwide".[31] The FFF, while sympathetic, endorsed the FIFA ruling.[31] Following the FFF's refusal to support a replay, the FAI expressed "deep disappointment".[31]
FAI proposals and 33rd team place
At the request of the FAI, Sepp Blatter met an Irish delegation in Zürich for 90 minutes on Friday 27 November.[40] The FAI proposed a number of ways the incident could be prevented in future and, agreeing that the match could not be replayed, they instead also officially requested to be allowed to enter the World Cup as an unprecedented extra 33rd entrant.[41] Blatter stated that he would raise the Irish request at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the FIFA executive committee.[42][43] RTÉ Sport speculated that the request would be "politely turned down".[43] The request drew 'laughter' when he relayed it to the Soccerex conference the following Monday.[41] Blatter was of the opinion that if the Republic of Ireland were admitted as an extra entrant, Costa Rica would also have to be considered as well, having also been unfairly eliminated by an offside goal in a play-off against Uruguay.[42][43][44][45] FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke had ruled it out on 1 December, one day before the meeting, clarifying that Blatter's comments regarding other teams had already shown the request was "impossible" and had "no hope" of being granted.[46] According to The Guardian on 30 November, the Irish had not expected the request to be successful, but they had also "asked FIFA to consider compensating them in some other way, perhaps by seeding them in the draw for the 2014 World Cup".[47]
The FAI's proposals included: no changes to competition formats mid-tournament (referring to the play off group seeding change), introduce video technology at the highest level, implement additional assistant referees behind the goal line for all international matches, introduce stronger sanctions for players who breach the Laws of the Game in a "match defining way", and issuing a statement that "FIFA does not condone breaches" of those Laws, referring to Sepp Blatter's previous statements of empathy with Henry.[40][48] The FAI stated they did not ask for any action to be taken against Henry.[48]
Delaney reacted angrily to Blatter's public disclosure of what was intended to be a confidential submission to the FIFA executive committee, complaining to the FIFA general secretary and calling it "disrespectful to our country", and stating the 33rd team proposal had been "very much peripheral" to their suggestions, and was only discussed "for a minute or two" in the meeting.[49] The FAI asserted that the 33rd place request had not even been included in any of the written submissions to FIFA.[48]
Sepp Blatter
Blatter had initially faced criticism for refusing to comment on the incident.[19] His first comments came with a report in L'Équipe, and during his opening address at the Soccerex football conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, both on Sunday 29 November.[19][20][43]
Blatter said that it had not been Henry's responsibility to tell the referee of the misdemeanour, comparing a similar incident in his own playing career, when he did not tell the referee about an advantage gained by shirt-pulling.[19][20] Blatter said that referee Hansson "should have taken the time to reflect rather than immediately awarding the goal".[19]
On the issue of fair play, Blatter said "There is a lack of discipline and respect in the game by the players because they are cheating" and "How can it happen that all over the world, through TV cameras, we have seen through a cheating handball that a pass was given for a goal? Everyone is asking what is and what isn't fair play. The highest crime in football is touching the ball with the hands".[43][44][47] Referring to the possibility of using assistant referees or goal line technology, Blatter stated, "match control is now is on the agenda. How shall we avoid such situations as we have seen in this very specific match?"[42] Blatter repeated his stated opposition to video refereeing, saying, "With technology, you have to stop a match. You have a look at cameras... We have to maintain the human face of football and not go into technology."[44]
On the issue of fair play at the World Cup, Blatter commented after the FIFA executive committee's EGM:
I appeal to all the players and coaches to observe this fair play. In 2010 we want to prove that football is more than just kicking a ball but has social and cultural value... So we ask the players 'please observe fair play' so they will be an example to the rest of the world[50]
Blatter apologised to the FAI on 2 December for the public disclosure of the FAI's submission to FIFA and for the media's perception of his comments at Soccerex, saying, "I have nothing against the Irish, they were very sporting people when they came to FIFA and it is a pity that it has been now communicated in this way."[51][52] After the EGM, John Delaney described FIFA as the "biggest losers" in the controversy for having "made one mistake after another", referring to the mid-competition change in seeding rules for the play-off, the negative imagery of football as a whole generated by FIFA's actions and Henry's goal, and Sepp Blatter's subsequent dealings with the FAI.[48]
FIFA executive committee
On 23 November FIFA announced that the FIFA executive committee would hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on 2 December in Cape Town, where members were already due to meet to discuss the seedings for the World Cup, in order to discuss various recent incidents affecting the world game.[53] According to BBC Radio 5 Live sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar, the Henry incident would be "high on the agenda".[53] Gordon Smith, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association and a member of the International Football Association Board, believed that introduction of AARs in time for the World Cup would be pressed for at the EGM by UEFA president Michel Platini, who had been a long-time supporter of the concept; Smith said of the proposal, "I feel that it has its advantages at the highest levels of the games. When there's massive TV coverage the problems are highlighted all over the world so this is something we may have to look at."[54] The FAI was to be given the chance to present their views at the EGM, with Delaney hoping it would not be a "token" gesture, criticising the lack of direct contact from FIFA.[55] FIFA President Sepp Blatter confirmed on 30 November that the EGM would consider the use of AARs and goal-line technology in the 2010 World Cup, and changing the two-legged play-off qualification format, possibly in favour of a single game played at a neutral venue.[21][42][44]
The EGM was held on 2 December at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.[56] The executive committee at the time consisted of FIFA president Sepp Blatter, eight vice-presidents and 15 members, and the FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke. The membership included representatives of various confederations and associations around the world.[57] In response to Blatter's comments at Soccerex and before the EGM, the FAI formally notified FIFA in writing that they were withdrawing their request to enter the World Cup as a 33rd team, and accordingly this matter was not considered.[48][58][59] The FAI's other suggestions were, however, discussed.[48]
According to FIFA, the EGM discussion resulted in "concrete proposals" to ensure that improvements were made on the issues raised.[60] According to Blatter, the committee recognised the game was at a "crossroads" and that, at the highest levels, where 32 cameras were to be used to film the 2010 World Cup, it was now "impossible" for just the referee and his two assistants to "see everything".[61][62]
The EGM announced that FIFA would be setting up an inquiry into future use of extra assistants and technology. The new inquiry would, according to Blatter, "have a look at technology or additional persons".[61][62] Described as a "full inquiry"[61][62] or "working party"[56] by media commentators, it was to comprise a new FIFA committee with input drawn in part from the existing FIFA referees', football, technical and medical committees.[62]
The expected introduction of AARs for the 2010 World Cup was ruled out.[61][63] The committee "stressed that it would be too soon to implement this new system at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa."[60] Blatter explained that, as AARs had not yet been trialled outside of Europe, the committee was of the opinion that any experiment must be carried out "globally" before it could be used in a World Cup.[62] Blatter confirmed that the experiment with AAR's in the Europa League would continue into the 2010 knock-out stages.[62] The meeting also ruled out the use of video refereeing systems similar to those seen in rugby, cricket and tennis.[64] Blatter stated that two companies investigating goal-line technology were due to report their results to International Football Association Board (IFAB) in March 2010.[56] FIFA also called on the general secretaries of the Continental Federations to propose improvements to the format of the qualification and play-off phase of the World Cup competition, for submission by March 2010.[60]
Henry disciplinary investigation
On the issue of possible disciplinary sanctions against Henry individually, a FIFA spokesperson stated "The [independent] disciplinary commission...will decide if the case is of interest [when they meet sometime in the next two weeks]. The possibility exists of sanctioning a player for unsporting behaviour on the basis of video evidence".[65] Examples of FIFA disciplinary action taken against players for incidents missed by the referee based on video evidence include banning Mauro Tassotti for eight games for use of an elbow during the 1994 World Cup quarter-final, and banning Marco Materazzi for two games for his verbal provocation of Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final, resulting in the infamous headbutting incident.[65]
On 2 December after the FIFA EGM it was announced that FIFA's disciplinary committee would open an investigation into Henry's handball.[63][66] No timetable was given for when the investigation, chaired by Swiss lawyer Marcel Mathier, would rule on the case.[56]
Blatter said of the decision to single out Henry for investigation of a handball:
I have not said that Thierry Henry will be punished, I have said that Thierry Henry will be examined [by the committee]...it's not a question of this player or another – it was blatant unfair play and was seen all around the world...let [the committee] make the decision. Fair play must be maintained in our game[50][63]
According to the Associated Press, the committee had the "authority to impose a one-match suspension on Henry, which would take effect at the start of the World Cup in June".[56] According to the BBC, FIFA said "there was no certainty Henry would be banned if found guilty".[50]
On 18 January 2010 it was announced that Henry would face no sanctions in relation to the incident, after the committee found it had "no legal foundation" to deal with the case, as the relevant rules only covered sanctions for preventing a goal by illegally handling the ball.[67] FIFA rules reportedly forbade any other action as the referee had not seen the original incident.[68] FIFA released the following statement:
the Disciplinary Committee reached the conclusion that there was no legal foundation for the committee to consider the case because handling the ball cannot be regarded as a serious infringement as stipulated in article 77a of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. There is no other legal text that would allow the committee to impose sanctions for any incidents missed by match officials.[69]
The FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes hoped the announcement would mark the end of the incident, stating of the decision that is "not astonishing, it is logical".[68]
France national team
FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke later denied that France's absence from the top 8 seeded teams for the 2010 World Cup draw had been a result of the controversy, stating that the change to the seeding system (using the world rankings as they stood at October 2009) was fairer than past systems.[70][71] The FFF president described the decision as logical, although former French coach Michel Hidalgo disagreed.[72]
In a quirk of the resulting draw, the lack of seeding ultimately did not have a detrimental effect on France, as they were drawn into Group A; since the seeding place in Group A had already been allocated to the host nation South Africa, a Group A draw was the only possible outcome where France would not have been placed into a group with one of the top seven seeded teams.[73] South Africa were ranked 86th in the world at the time, making them the lowest-ranked team competing in the tournament; The Irish Times commented that this turn of events in France's favour would cause the Irish to feel particularly aggrieved.[73] At the finals, France ultimately failed to qualify from their group, failing to win a game and managing only a solitary point in their first match against Uruguay; following a major disruption at the team's camp by the French players.[74]
France and the Republic of Ireland did not meet in the qualifying matches for the 2012 European Championships. France were drawn in Group D while Ireland were drawn in Group B, although they were drawn together in the practice run for the draw held the day before.[75][76]
FAI compensation
After the FIFA EGM, John Delaney said, "In terms of the football side, this is the end of the matter", but that "the incident will linger long in the memory like Diego Maradona's handball."[77] Delaney hoped the promise of an inquiry into refereeing and technology was "not a fudge."[49] The FAI and FIFA were however due to meet again after the EGM according to Blatter, to discuss some form of non-financial compensation for the controversy.[78] On 4 June 2015 it emerged during an RTÉ interview that FIFA had bought the FAI's silence with a €5 million payment which would prevent any legal action against them.[79][80]
Match officials
In January 2010, match referee Hansson and his assistant Stefan Wittberg were both selected as one of the thirty officiating teams to be used at the 2010 World Cup; however, Hansson's other assistant on the day of the incident, Fredrik Nilsson who missed the handball, was not selected, being replaced by Henrik Andrén.[22] FIFA had insisted at the time of the incident that, since selection of referees for the World Cup referee was based on long-term assessments, Hansson would probably make it to the finals.[22] UEFA president Michel Platini called it a good decision, defending Hansson as having not been responsible for the incident as he had not seen the handball.[75][76]
Reacción
The incident has been compared to Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal in the 1986 World Cup, which led to the incident being labelled as the "Hand of Frog"[29][81][82][83][84][85][86] the "Hand of Gaul"[87] and the "Hand of Henry" affair.[88][89]
Governments and politicians
Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen called on FIFA for a replay, stating that "fair play is a fundamental part of the game".[90] Cowen raised the issue with French President Nicolas Sarkozy while both were at the European Union summit in Brussels on 19 November 2009.[90] After the summit, Sarkozy stated, "I told Brian Cowen how sorry I was for them...But don't ask me to substitute myself for the referee, or the French football authorities, or the European football authorities."[91]
The incident was criticised in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish Parliament.[90][92] The Irish Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern called on FIFA to act in the interests of fair play.[90] The French Prime Minister François Fillon stated that the 'Irish government should not interfere in footballing decisions'.[90] Rama Yade, French Secretary of State for Sports, and FFF vice-president Noël Le Graët both defended Henry from accusations of intentional cheating, pointing to his playing record, and stating that he should be presumed innocent unless he stated he deliberately set out to cheat.[93] The French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot and Christine Lagarde Minister of Economic Affairs were sympathetic to the Irish viewpoint.[92][94][95]
Sports administrators
On the eve of Henry's possible punishment being discussed at the FIFA EGM, FFF technical director Gérard Houllier defended Henry, stating the handball was instinctive and that the blame lay with the referee, pointing out that had the goal not been scored, the match would still have gone to penalties.[96] Houllier also called for the introduction of video refereeing.[97]
According to The Independent, the organiser of the 2010 World Cup Danny Jordaan resisted calls for video refereeing and believed that 'disputed decisions should be considered part of football'.[98] Leslie Irvine, the Northern Irish former referee and FIFA instructor on the referee selection panel for the 2010 World Cup, was of the opinion that referee Hansson was not to blame for the incident, as by simply not seeing the incident he had not committed a 'technical infringement', and said Thierry Henry bore "moral responsibility" for the controversy.[99] Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) praised Henry's decision to express his regrets over the affair, but declined to comment further, having not seen the incident.[100] On the eve of the FIFA EGM, FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, while lamenting the fact that after 853 matches in the qualifying process, only one was being talked about, he said "It's important to make sure what happened will not happen again".[101]
Football personalities
While in Dublin on 26 November for a charity event, Pelé said "maybe the linesman could help, but even the linesman doesn't see the game. We say fair play, but you know I don't think it was unfair, something that goes in one second... The result was unfair, but unfortunately you can't change that"[102][103]
Football pundits Johnny Giles, Eamon Dunphy and Graeme Souness, analysing the video replays on RTÉ Two, disputed whether Shay Given or anybody else was obscuring the view of the assistant referee from seeing the incident, although they were not certain the assistant could have flagged with certainty for handball even if he had a clear line of sight, due to the speed of the incident and flight of the ball.[104] Former Irish international and football pundit Mark Lawrenson said "The man cheated. He controlled the ball with the second handball. It is a Maradona moment".[16] Another former Irish international Tony Cascarino wrote in The Times that Henry "speaks so eloquently, but to me now he'll always be insincere, a faker, someone who cares only about himself".[16] Former French international David Ginola said "I'm very embarrassed by the situation...I don’t feel very proud to be French this morning. The Irish played very well and they deserved to go through as much as France, maybe more. I'm very surprised FIFA haven't mentioned anything about it – the whole world saw the handball. This is a pure injustice. Everyone in France, the press and everyone, says there should be a replay".[39] Former Ireland captain Roy Keane said the attempt by the FAI to get a replay was "rubbish", telling them to "get over it", that France were there for the taking and Ireland should not have allowed Henry to be in such a good position in the first place.[105] Keane later apologised to any Irish fans offended by his "over the top" comments.[106]
Henry's former France teammate Bixente Lizarazu stated "It was not something to be proud of. I'm not going to party."[16] Henry's former Arsenal and France teammate Emmanuel Petit wrote that "The feeling among the French public on Thursday morning was one of embarrassment – we didn't want to qualify in controversial circumstances, we wanted to beat Ireland by playing within the rules" and "Thierry's handball will not send out a good message", but he was of the opinion that this "very rare indiscretion" would not damage his reputation, explaining that "There is a referee on the pitch and if he didn't see that's not France's problem."[13][107] Petit later criticised FIFA and UEFA for their lack of support for Henry, and believed that Henry had saved Raymond Domenech's job.[108] French player Patrice Evra questioned the patriotism of those French people attacking Henry, and was of the opinion that those same people would have criticised Henry had he informed the referee he had committed handball.[109] Former French captain Patrick Vieira blamed the referee for the controversy, and supported the idea of video refereeing or having a fifth referee to assist in games.[109] Former French international Eric Cantona was critical of Domenech, and referring to Henry's immediate post-match act of consoling an Irish player, said "If I'd been Irish, he wouldn't have lasted three seconds."[110]
Another former Arsenal teammate Lee Dixon wrote that Henry had gone down in a lot of Arsenal fans' estimations, and Henry "has been a truly great footballer – one of the best players we've ever seen in the Premier League – but now people will remember him for that goal against Ireland. It's really sad".[107] England footballer David Beckham defended Henry, stating "I honestly didn't think Thierry meant it...I know him as a player and a person. He's a good person and a great player... these things happen in football"[13]
Henry's former Arsenal manager and Frenchman Arsène Wenger said of the incident that "This isn't the French way and football should learn from this", although he theorised that Henry did not inform the referee due to "the pressure and what's at stake".[38] Wenger later added, "For the sense of justice it is quite embarrassing to see...I think even France is embarrassed...we won the game and won the qualification with a goal that was not a goal".[17] Wenger believed Henry, who was one of the "fairest [players] I've managed", was being unfairly left to face criticism by France, and that the real issue was the lack of technology being in place.[111] Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was of the opinion that "every player and manager in the world" thinks that "technology can play a part" to help referees, but recognised that it was FIFA who had to be convinced.[31] Henry's club manager of Barcelona, Pep Guardiola said as Henry returned to training in Spain that he "is not proud to have done that, but it wasn't premeditated", and gave guarded support for use of video refereeing.[88] German Robert Huth expressed sympathy with the Irish, but on the merits of a replay, contrasted the lack of a replay after the controversial goal in the 1966 World Cup final.[112] Danish goalkeeper Brian Jensen said "He didn't do it on purpose? Blah blah blah. My 'beep'. I won't say the word cheats – but ... I said it".[112]
Thierry Roland, described by the Times as the "doyen of French TV football commentators", said of the game "It's a scandal, a shame with a capital S."[92]
Media
According to the BBC, the game "attracted mass news coverage across Europe".[31] Agence France-Presse (AFP) described how the result of the game sparked an "international outcry" and how as a result of the handball, Henry had been "pilloried as a cheat around the globe".[2] Time magazine immediately named Henry as number 1 in a List of Sporting Cheats, ahead of Crashgate (listed as number 2), Black Sox Scandal, Ben Johnson, Tonya Harding, Doping in East Germany, Rivaldo at the 2002 World Cup, Boris Onishchenko, Basketboo, Hansie Cronje and the original Hand of God goal (listed as number 11).[4][113]
Sky Sports estimated qualification for the 2010 World Cup was worth £26.7m to Irish football, and was worth a similar amount to the French.[13] FAI chief executive John Delaney denied the issue was about money, rather a matter of "fair play and integrity".[13] The 2010 tournament prize money was later confirmed by FIFA as being $9m for participating, a further $9m for exiting the group stage, with potential prize totals rising to $30m for the eventual winners.[114]
Spanish media, where Henry had played his club football since leaving England in 2007, took great interest in the event.[88] The Spanish daily sports newspaper Diario Marca carried the headline "Football rails against 'cheating' Henry".[88]
French newspaper L'Équipe greeted the incident with the headline 'Hand of God', while Le Parisien had "Henry Saves France With His Hand.", and Le Figaro led with "Henry: 'I Am Not the Referee'."[16] L'Equipe also wrote, "France have qualified for the 2010 World Cup, that's for sure, but the result, the most essential thing in sport after all, is not enough to erase the uneasy feeling we had last night".[29] Le Parisien also wrote "The handball of Henry has brought a decisive contribution to the theme 'being French is being ashamed of one's national team'".[115] Le Monde noted the lack of any calls for a replay following the controversial penalty for handball that went in Ireland's favour, during their previous Group 8 qualifying game against Georgia on 11 February 2009.[116] Australia's Daily Telegraph said Henry would "earn a place in infamy as one of the biggest cheats in world sport".[112]
Swedish newspapers advocated that the Swedish referee used for the match Martin Hansson be removed from further major international assignments.[117] Aftonbladet declared of the officials "that Team Hansson has also forfeited its right to continue to take charge of major international matches. Anything else would be a further insult to the Irish nation".[16] Mark Ogden of The Telegraph criticised Henry for not informing referee Hansson during the game, and speculated the incident would 'ruin his career', comparing the cases of referees Anders Frisk and Tom Henning Øvrebø.[118]
In Britain, where Henry had spent much of his club career, The Sun's headline was "Le Hand of God: Cheat Theirry Does A Maradona.", while The Daily Mirror was "French Nickers.", with The Independent using "Hand Gaul!".[16] The Los Angeles Times speculated the incident had the potential to ruin his reputation with a moment of "eternal notoriety".[16] The Guardian's chief sportswriter Richard Williams wrote that the incident was worse than Maradona's foul, describing his handball as "a street kid's instinct", while Henry's was "a sophisticated man, and a much-decorated one."[16] Williams also critiqued Henry's decision not to inform the referee, citing previous club football examples of players not taking advantage of a referee's mistake: Robbie Fowler in 1997 unsuccessfully pleading for the referee not to give a penalty in his favour, Paolo Di Canio in 2000 catching the ball rather than scoring past an incapacitated goalkeeper, and Costin Lazăr in 2009 successfully insisting he would not take the penalty awarded to him for what he saw as a fair challenge.[119] Henri Astier wrote for BBC News that the reaction in France, a "nation not particularly known for its moral qualms", had ranged from "embarrassment to outrage".[115] Dominic Lawson wrote in The Sunday Times that "[Ireland] has taken on the role of unjustly oppressed victim – something the Irish do well, having had several centuries of practice".[112]
Patrick Barclay, Chief Football Correspondent for The Times, declared that the Henry incident "ended the argument" over the issue of video refereeing.[120] The Times also speculated that the incident might lead to a fast-tracked global deployment of the Additional Assistant Referee (AAR) system already under trial by FIFA, pointing out that under the trial configuration, the extra goal-line assistant would have been standing directly in front of Henry as he touched the ball with his hand.[121] FIFA confirmed the AAR plan was to be discussed at the March 2010 International Football Association Board meeting.[122] On the issue of football introducing AAR's, The Wall Street Journal compared and contrasted the demands on referees in the World Cup compared to those in National Football League, National Hockey League and boxing, and relayed the negative experience of U.S. Soccer a decade previously, who took part in an international trial using two referees, one in each half, which 'led to poor game management'.[101] The Times also questioned Henry's record on fair play, recalling his comments and actions during controversial incidents in a 2001/2 Champions League game against Panathinaikos, in the 2001 FA Cup Final, in the 2006 World Cup games against Spain and Portugal, in the 2006 Champions League Final and 2006–07 Champions League game against CSKA Moscow.[123] Tim Rich of The Independent urged for video refereeing, asserting that the Europa League trial of AAR's had "not been an unqualified success", citing a failure of intervention by the goal line official in a game between Fulham, in which the players had to intervene themselves to ensure the main referee, Belgian Paul Allaerts, identified the correct man to send off after a foul on Roma player John Arne Riise, after mistakenly identifying the offender as Brede Hangeland.[124] The player sent off was Stephen Kelly, ironically an unused Irish substitute in the controversial France game.[124]
Jonathan Clegg debated in The Wall Street Journal the effect of the incident on Henry's lucrative sponsorship deals, comparing it to incidents such as ING Group's withdrawal from the Renault F1 after the Crashgate controversy, the retention of sponsors by Harlequin F.C. after their Bloodgate fake injury scandal, and the enhanced fortunes of Zinedine Zidane in spite of his head-butting of Marco Materazzi in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final.[125] Gillette, who Henry represents in advertisements, were threatened with a boycott and an email campaign. A brand spokesman said that it would not affect their relationship with Henry.[126] Susie Mesure of The Independent later speculated that there was now a 'Curse of Gillette' befalling its three major sporting representatives, with the Henry controversy being followed in quick succession by Tiger Woods' car accident on 27 November, and a rare defeat of Roger Federer by Nikolay Davydenko in the 2009 ATP Tour on 28 November.[127] A Gillette spokesperson had earlier denied allegations made by The Sun that a version of the Gillette Champions poster showing the three men with a tennis racket, golf club and football, had been doctored to remove a ball from Henry's hand in the French version of their website.[citation needed]
American radio host Jim Rome commented: "I'm glad the guy did it; it led to a goal...How 'bout that guy. The guy was just trying to make a play. I thought it was smart; I liked it. It led to a goal; what's not to like?"[128]
Speaking on Football Focus on 21 November, Philippe Auclair of France Football magazine said that, unlike Eric Cantona's "moment of madness", he could not see Thierry Henry earning a similar redemption in England for this "calculated moment of cheating".[129]
On 22 November, the Irish Independent claimed that the FFF had been willing to stage a replay and that FIFA would not have prevented it, but the offer had been blocked by the French manager Raymond Domenech.[130]
A The Wall Street Journal editorial supported FIFA's decision not to replay the match and distinguished the refereeing error from the one in the replayed Uzbekistan-Bahrain match.[131]
Henry Winter of The Telegraph wrote that FIFA had "gained some credibility" by deciding to investigate Henry after the EGM, whose presence at the World Cup would otherwise overshadow the Fair Play campaign, and that the Henry controversy made the case for having a panel of experts examine every major game after the event for infractions missed by the referee.[132] Winter contrasted any possible punishment of Henry with the two-month ban issued to Diego Maradona for simply 'insulting reporters'.[132] Diana Worman on Aljazeera.net criticised FIFA's decision to investigate Henry for an act that happens all the time, and would have only warranted a yellow card, writing "Henry should never have been expected to make a 'sportsmanlike' decision after the goal and it's unfair for Fifa to make an example of him".[133] The Canadian Press criticised FIFA's "cowardly" decision to investigate Henry and do nothing to change the situation for the 2010 World Cup.[134] The Irish Times stated that the FAI's recommendations to FIFA in the wake of the controversy had been "effectively disregarded" at the EGM.[49]
After the announcement that Henry would face no sanctions, Simon Rice of The Independent declared Henry had "got away with it", and compared his lack of punishment to nine other notable sporting incidents: Michael Schumacher (1994 Australian Grand Prix), Sir Alex Ferguson (against The Football Association generally), Graeme Smith (4th test, South Africa v England, 2010), Eduardo (diving against Celtic, 26 August 2009), Toni Schumacher (1982 World Cup semi-final), Trevor Chappell (the 1981 Underarm bowling incident), Andy Haden (Wales v New Zealand, 1978), Diego Maradona (1986 Hand of God goal) and Fred Lorz (1904 Olympics Men's Marathon).[135] After the announcement, Agence France-Presse speculated that any discipliniary action for Henry would have presented an "unwelcome precedent" for FIFA, and any punishment would have been merely symbolic, given the lack of prior cases of such retrospective player sanctions.[68]
FIFA's subsequent decision to select referee Hansson as one of the 2010 World Cup officials was criticised by the Irish media, as well as UEFA president Michel Platini's comments that it would have been "great" if France and the Republic of Ireland had been drawn together for the 2012 European Championships.[22][76]
Other
'A few hundred' Irish fans marched from Lansdowne Road Stadium to the French embassy on Ailesbury Road in Dublin, to demand a replay.[136][137] An online poll run by French newspaper Le Monde revealed 88% of the 97,000 respondents said "no" to the question "Does France deserve to be in South Africa?".[90][138] A Facebook petition demanding a replay was signed by over 500,000.[13][139] The French teachers' union SNEP-FSU condemned Henry's irresponsible example of "indisputable cheating".[93] Henry's official Twitter page was reportedly suspended due to "strange activity".[112] When the World Cup pool games began Pizza Hut Delivery Ireland began a promotion offering a free pizza to every goal scored against France.
The Irish band, The Mighty Stef, wrote Protest Song with No Name,[140][141] which ends with the lyrics "you might cheat us, you might beat us, but you'll never lay a hand on our soul". The Corrigan Brothers wrote The Hand of Henry,[142][143] which includes the line "Sepp Blatter was happy". French company Le Coq Sportif were parodied over the incident, with an agency printing T-shirts with the words Le Coq un-Sportif.[144] Irish bookmakers Paddy Power launched a two-week advertising campaign in the baggage claim area of Dublin Airport poking fun at Henry, with posters stating "Paddy Power welcomes you to Ireland... unless you're called Thierry".[145] Cleaners in Ireland also reportedly vandalised the unrelated Henry brand of vacuum cleaner.[146] Irish rockstar Bono called on FIFA to do the noble thing, not act bureaucratically, and grant Ireland's request to be added to the World Cup as a 33rd entrant.[147]
French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut said on Europe 1 radio that "We are faced with a real matter of conscience...We certainly have nothing to be proud of."[138] British author Roger Scruton said "one of the major justifications of sport in all its forms is that it teaches the virtues of fair play...Victory achieved by cheating leaves a foul taste in the mouth...and makes the whole thing as pointless to [the defeated team and its supporters] as it is to someone like me who has never quite experienced the allure of the game".[98] The founder of the British Philosophy of Sport Association called for "restorative justice", and said that players had an obligation to honesty that "over-rides their self-serving commitments".[98] French economist Jacques Attali wrote "Nous sommes tous Irlandais", in reference to the Le Monde headline "Nous sommes tous Americains" (We are all Americans) in the aftermath of the 11 September attacks.[112]
Bookmakers William Hill stated they would refund any bets placed backing Ireland to qualify, to be "as fair as possible to everyone."[29]
Thierry Henry was "booed relentlessly" by fans of Athletic Bilbao in his first competitive match after playing Ireland.[148]
On 4 December 2009, Charlize Theron co-presented the draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, accompanied by several other celebrities of South African origin. During rehearsals she drew an Ireland ball instead of France as a joke at the expense of FIFA, referring to the Thierry Henry handball controversy and France's controversial qualification.[149][150] The stunt alarmed FIFA enough for it to fear she might do it again in front of a live global audience.[151]
Irish fans donned sombreros and cheered as Mexico beat France 2–0 in their second group stage match on 17 June 2010.[152] France was subsequently eliminated from the World Cup following a 2–1 loss to host nation South Africa in their final group stage match, and finished at the bottom of Group A.
During the World Cup, English comedian James Corden refused to acknowledge France on his "human wallchart" during his post-World Cup match TV show James Corden's World Cup Live, replacing France with Ireland, and when chatting with the Irish member of the wallchart, referred to players such as "Terry Henry" and "Paddy Evra", Irish variants of the names of France players Theirry Henry and Patrice Evra.[153]
The Irish playwright and novelist Dermot Bolger's stage play, The Parting Glass, is based around this game in Paris, with most of the second half of the play occurring during the actual match in the Stade de France, as an Irish father and son watch their final Ireland game together before the son emigrates to find work in Canada.
Comparison to other events
The 2010 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final between Louth and Meath held at Croke Park on 11 July 2010 drew comparisons with Thierry Henry's cheating due to its controversial ending in which Louth were wrongfully defeated by a last minute Meath goal which was thrown into the net and therefore should not have stood. Louth were in the lead at the time and would have won their first Leinster Senior Football Championship in 53 years if Meath had not been given the goal.[154] Louth fans burst onto the pitch as the final whistle blew, chasing and physically assaulting the referee around the field, while a steward was knocked unconscious with a bottle during ugly scenes played out on live television. The referee was struck on at least three different points as he scrambled away from the baying mob.[155] Meath chairman Barney Allen compared calls for the game to be replayed with Henry's moment of shame, saying "Ireland didn't get a replay when France got a lucky goal".[156] As the controversy continued to erupt,[157] RTÉ analyst Pat Spillane called it a "disgrace".[158] Setanta Sports said the "goal" would "now go down in infamy as the GAA's Thierry Henry incident".[159]
TV
In 2011, "L'Affair Henry the, ahem, touchiest sporting controversy in living memory" received its own episode of Scannal, the TV series dedicated to scandalous events. The Evening Herald reviewer called it an "entertaining, tightly-packaged edition" of the show but also opined, "Where Scannal stumbled, however, was in its failure to go in with both feet on the cringe-inducing elephant in the room: John Delaney's embarrassing plea to Fifa boss, the odious Sepp Blatter, to let Ireland be "the 33rd team" at the World Cup".[160]
Early June 2010, Swedish film director Mattias Löw released the documentary film The Referee, produced for SVT - Sveriges Television, where he follows the referee, Martin Hansson, of the infamous playoff match in Paris, for a year leading up to FIFA World Cup 2010. The film portrays the Thierry Henry handball incident in Paris in detail from the referee's point of view.
Referencias
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