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A distraught Robbie Keane sits on the pitch after Ireland lose - Source: INPHO/Photosport -
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Ireland has appealed to world governing body FIFA to be allowed
to compete as a 33rd team in next year's World Cup finals, FIFA
president Sepp Blatter said.
Although the inclusion of an unprecedented extra team would cause
serious logistical problems including extra un-scheduled matches,
Blatter said the FIFA executive committee would consider Ireland's
request at their extra-ordinary meeting on Wednesday.
Ireland were eliminated from the competition earlier this month by
France after Thierry Henry handled the ball in the build-up to
William Gallas's equaliser that gave France a 1-1 draw and a 2-1
aggregate playoff win.
"We received a delegation from Ireland at FIFA and they were
naturally absolutely unhappy at what has happened. They know the
match cannot be replayed and the decision of the referee is final,"
Blatter told a keynote address at the Soccerex business
conference.
"Naturally they have not asked for any sanctions to be given to any
player or the referee, but they have asked, very humbly 'can't we
be team No.33 at the World Cup? They have asked for that,
really.
"I will bring it to the attention of the Executive Committee. I
cannot confirm what will happen, but I will report it to the
executive committee."
In a statement the FAI confirmed that it made the request to
Blatter when a delegation met him in Zurich last Friday.
"A lot was discussed at the meeting and at one stage the FAI asked
if Ireland could be accommodated into the World Cup 2010," said the
statement.
However Irish sources have privately acknowledged they are not
expecting their request to be successful, but have asked FIFA to
consider compensating them in some other way in future, perhaps by
being seeded in the draw for the 2014 finals.
The statement continued: "Other suggestions were also made to
mitigate against further occurrences of such incidents, including
the use of additional goal line assistant referees for FIFA
international matches, further use of video technology for matches
at the highest level, stronger provisions to discourage players
from engaging in such blatant breaches of the Laws of the Game and
provisions to strengthen referee selection for such important
matches."
The draw for what is still likely to be a 32-team World Cup will take place in Cape Town on Friday.
