FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Thursday that he wants to offer a special award for Ireland- a 'moral compensation' after Ireland lost a World Cup spot to France when a handball from the French captain Thierry Henry led to a decisive goal.
On the day Blatter announced that World Cup teams will receive at least $9 million for taking part in the competition, he insisted that a monetary reward would not be appropriate to pay the Irish.
The Irish never asked for a financial compensation or even a moral compensation. They wanted a place in the world cup contest. To talk about a moral compensation in the world cup dominated by powerful forces of sponsorship and big money just like any other big business that is bereft of morality is really a farce.
Earlier in the week Blatter urged players and coaches to "observe fair play", calling on them to understand that doing the right thing on the pitch has "social and cultural value" and commanding them to "be an example to the rest of the world".
This call for honour came just days after he revealed that Thierry Henry wasn’t to blame for his cheating which cost Ireland a place at the World Cup finals.
Blatter also revealed that he telephoned the France captain to offer him support “because he tried to get in touch with me.”
Blatter added: "He was honest by admitting that he did use his hand, but it wasn't his responsibility to tell the referee. In the specific case of the Henry handball, the referee should have taken the time to reflect rather than immediately awarding the goal."
Thierry Henery admitted to the hand ball only after the match was over. If Thierry Henry was so honest, he should have told the referee who did not see the hand ball before the match was over. Then the goal would not have stood and Ireland had the chance to go to the world cup.
It is difficult to understand Blatter's intellectual reasoning. What kind of a message does this controversy send considering the fairplay and honesty that Blatter talked about?
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