FAI RECIEVED €5 MILLION FROM FIFA AFTER FRANCE PLAY-OFF DEFEAT 2009

FAI chief executive John Delaney today confirmed that the Association received financial compensation from FIFA following the infamous handball in 2009. FIFA claims that lump sum was to be reimbursed if Ireland had qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Ireland were deprived a place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after losing to France in a two-legged play-off. Giovanni Trapattoni's side were level at 1-1 in Paris and heading for a penalty shoot-out when Henry's illegal intervention allowed William Gallas score the winner and break Irish hearts.

"We felt we had a legal case against FIFA because of how the World Cup hadn't worked out for us with the Henry handball," Delaney told The Ray D'Arcy Show on RTE Radio One today.

"Also the way Blatter behaved if you remember on stage when he had a snigger and a laugh at us.

"That day when I went into him and told him how I felt about him, there were some expletives used, we came to an agreement."

Delaney says the agreement was a significant boost to the FAI.
Significant financial boost or not, questions are now being asked as to the ethics of the deal at a time when FIFA is in meltdown over many issues.