konknaijaboy | On 04, Jun 2015

London (AFP) – FIFA have confirmed they made a $5 million payment to the Football Association of Ireland after Thierry Henry‘s handball stopped Ireland qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

Details of the deal first emerged in an interview FAI chief executive John Delaney gave to RTE Radio 1 on Thursday.

“We felt we had a legal case against FIFA because of how the World Cup play-off hadn’t worked out for us with the Henry handball,” Delaney said.

“We came to an agreement. That was a Thursday and on Monday, the agreement was all signed and all done. It was a payment to the association to not proceed with a legal case.”

FIFA later issued a statement explaining: “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.”

France qualified for the 2010 World Cup at Ireland’s expense after Henry blatantly handled the ball as he set up William Gallas for the decisive goal in a play-off match in……[Continue reading HERE