FIFA paid Irish soccer $5 million to stop legal action

FIFA paid Ireland's soccer association (FAI) $5 million to avoid a legal case over a controversial World Cup playoff defeat in 2009, world soccer's governing body confirmed on Thursday.

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.

FIFA disclosed the payment after the money was mentioned in a radio interview by Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney. Neither FIFA nor the FAI had previously disclosed the agreement to stave off legal action following the contentious 2009 playoff game.

The loan highlights the lack of transparency that plunged FIFA into the biggest scandal of its 111-year history. Northern Ireland's Jim Boyce, who retired as a FIFA vice president last week, called for an investigation into the Irish loan.

With moral outrage over the goal in Ireland and beyond growing, world soccer's governing body came to a financial agreement with the FAI not to proceed with legal action.

FIFA said on Thursday it gave the FAI a loan that would have been paid back had Ireland qualified for the 2014 World Cup.

"In January 2010 FIFA entered into an agreement with FAI in order to put an end to any claims against FIFA," it said in a statement.

"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."

Former Arsenal and Barcelona forward Henry blatantly stopped the ball going out of play with his hand, before crossing for William Gallas to score. The game in Paris in 2009 ended 1-1, with France progressing to the World Cup finals in South Africa 2-1 on aggregate.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter revealed that the FAI had asked the governing body to be handed a "33rd place" in the World Cup at a confidential meeting to discuss a possible replay.

FAI chief Delaney, who faces heavy domestic criticism for his own 360,000 euro salary and the association's error-prone record, earlier said the FAI could not discuss details of the FIFA payment as part of a confidentiality clause.

Speaking to Irish state broadcaster RTE on Thursday, Delaney said: "It was a payment to the association... not to proceed with a legal case.

"We felt we had a legal case against FIFA because of how the World Cup hadn't worked out because of the Thierry Henry handball, also the way (Sepp) Blatter behaved if you remember on stage, having a snigger, having a laugh at us.

"So that day when I went in and told him how I felt about him... there were some expletives used, we came to an agreement... It was a very good agreement for the FAI, a very legitimate agreement for the FAI."

Wire services