Sports

FIFA - No Replay for Ireland - Referees Decision Final

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | November 20, 2009 at 04:20 am

732 views | 16 Recommendations | 6 comments

Ireland lost a close match to France on Wednesday as a result of a controversial goal. France's Thiery Henry had played the ball illegally twice before Galles scored to end Ireland's World Cup aspirations. The referee did not call the infraction.

Ireland understandable upset over the referees' decision, appealed to the international governing body of soccer, FIFA and demanded a rematch.

FIFA has replied to Irelands' appeal today. Their decision based on soccer's international rules is that there will be NO REMATCH, stating that the referee's decision is final.

"As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final."

However, such a request has been given short shrift by world football's governing body Fifa, who insist a referee's decision is final in rejecting the FAI's appeal.

"FIFA has today, 20 November 2009, replied to the request made by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to replay the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa play-off match held on 18 November 2009 between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris," read an official statement from Fifa.

"In the reply, FIFA states that 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."

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Yommie

at 06:53 on November 20th, 2009

I feel sorry for Ireland, but they would have been celebrating if they had qualified within as a result of a hand ball. Video replays for referees to make intelligent decisions - YES!!!

sqweewee (not verified)

at 13:29 on November 21st, 2009

a legit place that has will be doing one of the free streams: redropes.com Looks all scammy, streams fast so whatev..didn't give me a virus or anything which is rare

stejeb

at 13:40 on November 21st, 2009

This happens all of the time. Introduce a 5th official, to look at and analyse game footage from TV coverage, it's available with almost all major matches nowadays, and give the power to FIFA, FA EUFA, etc to take away goals and alter results, and dare I say it? ban players from the game for this sort of behavour....if Henri faced the reality of a rest of the tournement ban, maybe he would have kept his hands to imself.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 14:03 on November 21st, 2009

Yes normally a deliberate handball does result in a freekick and normally a red card, which would have eliminated him at least from the next match.

grayhound

at 11:28 on December 3rd, 2009

The rules of post match football are a joke, in cases where it suits the governing body, they will punish teams and players after the match, but in the case of France because big money is involved and they need a big team like this to be in the World Cup, they let it go. Make up your minds FIFA / EUFA / FA and stick to a plan. That said, France should qualify on the basis they won the match even though they cheated, Maradona got away with it in '86, so did Henry this time, Henry will always be seen as a cheat from now on.