FIFA admit they paid Ireland 5 million euros, not dollars

Ireland were knocked out by France in a two-legged playoff to qualify for the 2010 South Africa tournament, with the decisive goal in the second leg coming after a handball by French striker Thierry Henry in extra time.

With moral outrage over the goal in Ireland, FIFA came to a financial agreement with the FAI not to proceed with legal action to overturn the result.

The head of the Irish FA told state radio RTE on Thursday that the deal was reached within days of a speech by FIFA president Sepp Blatter on November 30 2009.

FIFA on Thursday for the first time admitted a payment, which it said was $5 million.

But on Friday it said it had actually paid 5 million euros - the equivalent of $7.5 million at exchange rates at the end of November 2009.

Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney had earlier said his country had been considering legal action against FIFA after the 2010 World Cup play-off match in Paris when Thierry Henry's infamous handball assist for William Gallas was allowed to stand in a 1-1 draw after extra-time in Paris.

But he said FIFA paid Ireland's football association the sum to avoid being sued over their controversial defeat to France.

“On 18 November 2009, there was a play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland for a place in the 2010 World Cup finals," said FIFA in an amended statement.

"During the match, a handball by France’s Thierry Henry led indirectly to a goal against the Irish team.

“Ireland did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals.

“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 €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.”

Ireland went out of the tournament 2-1 on aggregate over the two legs to be denied qualification for the finals in South Africa, and the financial rewards that would have brought to the country.

Henry controlled the ball with a hand before setting up Gallas as Ireland tumbled out in the most contentious of circumstances with the referee and his officials all missing it.

Delaney's claims of a FIFA pay-off is the latest in a long list of dreadful allegations to haunt FIFA and their outgoing president Sepp Blatter, who Delaney claims sniggered and laughed at the Irish after their defeat to the French.

"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," said Delaney on The Ray D'Arcy Show today on RTE Radio One.

"Also the way (FIFA president Sepp) Blatter behaved, if you remember on stage, having a snigger and having a laugh at us. That day when I went in, and I told him how I felt about him, there were some expletives used. We came to an agreement.

"That was a Thursday and on Monday the agreement was all signed and all done. It’s a very good agreement for the FAI and a very legitimate agreement for the FAI. I’m bound by confidentiality for naming the figure.

"You’ve put a figure out there and fair play to you. It was a payment to the association to not proceed with a legal case. In there they signed a confidentiality agreement where I can’t talk about the amount involved.

"You used a figure there, well done to you, but it was a very good and legitimate deal for the FAI."