<p>The Irish football association (FAI) appealed to FIFA for a replay after Thierry Henry handled the ball when setting up William Gallas's extra-time equaliser in Wednesday's 1-1 draw in Paris that sent France to the World Cup with a 2-1 aggregate win. <br /><br />However, as was widely expected, FIFA wasted little time in rejecting the plea. "FIFA has replied to the request made by the FAI to replay the World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland," the body said on its website (www.fifa.com) on Friday. <br /><br />"In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed. <br /><br />“As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final." <br /><br />The FAI said on Thursday that the incident, which dominated news bulletins in Ireland all day as well as being discussed in parliament, had "damaged the integrity of the sport". <br />The Irish government supported the call for a replay and Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he would discuss the matter with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Brussels. <br /><br />However, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni paved the way for disappointment when he told a Thursday news conference it would be impossible to replay the match. <br /><br />"I cannot ask this because I know it is impossible. When a referee decides, it ends the game for me," he said. <br /><br />The Italian instead criticised FIFA's late decision to seed the playoff draw and called on the ruling body to scrap extra-time in future playoffs as it handed an advantage to the team drawn at home in the second leg.<br /><br />‘I am not a cheat’<br /><br />Thierry Henry said a World Cup qualifying replay between France and Ireland would be "the fairest solution" to the handball controversy surrounding the match. <br /><br />"I am not a cheat and never have been," the French forward said in a statement issued on his behalf on Friday. "It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area. <br /><br />"I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game. <br /><br />“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. <br /><br />"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game, but it is not in my control. There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish." <br /></p>
<p>The Irish football association (FAI) appealed to FIFA for a replay after Thierry Henry handled the ball when setting up William Gallas's extra-time equaliser in Wednesday's 1-1 draw in Paris that sent France to the World Cup with a 2-1 aggregate win. <br /><br />However, as was widely expected, FIFA wasted little time in rejecting the plea. "FIFA has replied to the request made by the FAI to replay the World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland," the body said on its website (www.fifa.com) on Friday. <br /><br />"In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed. <br /><br />“As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final." <br /><br />The FAI said on Thursday that the incident, which dominated news bulletins in Ireland all day as well as being discussed in parliament, had "damaged the integrity of the sport". <br />The Irish government supported the call for a replay and Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he would discuss the matter with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Brussels. <br /><br />However, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni paved the way for disappointment when he told a Thursday news conference it would be impossible to replay the match. <br /><br />"I cannot ask this because I know it is impossible. When a referee decides, it ends the game for me," he said. <br /><br />The Italian instead criticised FIFA's late decision to seed the playoff draw and called on the ruling body to scrap extra-time in future playoffs as it handed an advantage to the team drawn at home in the second leg.<br /><br />‘I am not a cheat’<br /><br />Thierry Henry said a World Cup qualifying replay between France and Ireland would be "the fairest solution" to the handball controversy surrounding the match. <br /><br />"I am not a cheat and never have been," the French forward said in a statement issued on his behalf on Friday. "It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area. <br /><br />"I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game. <br /><br />“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. <br /><br />"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game, but it is not in my control. There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish." <br /></p>
