Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The world football federation’s (Fifa) disciplinary committee is holding a hearing Monday 18 January to consider Thierry Henry ’s famous handball that gave France rather than Ireland a place in the World Cup. The executive committee of Fifa in December asked the disciplinary body to review the incident that caused an uproar and prompted the Football Association of Ireland to demand a replay or even to consider adding Ireland as a 33rd team.
(parody video) Nyon, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Uefa confirmed in a press conference that there have been a number of arrests by German police in an investigation into a massive match fixing scandal involving about 200 matches. Media reports say there have also been two arrests in Switzerland, unconfirmed by Uefa. There have been more than 50 police raids in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Britain. The investigations were triggered by suspicions of rigged betting, especially in the German, Turkish, Belgian, Croatian, Austrian, Slovenian, Hungarian and Bosnian leagues, in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League.
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – International football federation Fifa has dashed Irish hopes for a 2010 World Cup qualifying re-match, saying in a brief statement that it had replied to a request for a re-match from the Football Association of Ireland: “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.”
Ireland put in the request after France won Wednesday 2-1 in extra-time when France captain Thierry Henry used his hand to stop the ball from going out of play.
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) - Thierry Henry handed France their ticket to the 2010 World Cup, literally, as he controlled the ball with his hand before passing it to William Gallas to score the equalizing goal against Ireland in their play-off match. Somehow the referee and linesman failed to see the fault, which was clearly deliberate. Ireland dominated the match in the first half and took the lead with a goal by Robbie Keane and could have easily gone further ahead before they were hit by the French version of the “hand of God.”
In the other games Algeria qualified at the expense of Egypt, Greece beat Ukraine and Portugal won both games against Bosnia-Herzegovenia. The surprise of the evening was Russia being eliminated by Slovenia.
Links to other sites: Fifa, Guardian, Irish Times
