Irish ask Fifa if they can be 33rd team at the World Cup

Published on Monday 30 November 2009 23:13

THE Republic of Ireland have made one last stand to play in next year's World Cup finals by asking Fifa to allow them in as a 33rd nation following their play-off defeat to France.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has revealed the case will be discussed at tomorrow's extraordinary executive committee meeting in Cape Town, but gave a broad hint that it will be turned down. The Republic lost to an extra-time goal when Thierry Henry infamously handled the ball twice before William Gallas's equaliser.

Fifa has already ruled out a replay but Blatter said the matter is not quite over. "I will bring it to the attention of the executive committee," said Blatter, who also suggested that two extra officials would be considered for the finals in South Africa.

Tomorrow's meeting takes place 48 hours before the draw for the 2010 finals and a day before the seeding system is announced.

Blatter said his organisation had a duty to respond to a last-gasp FAI appeal. Speaking from Johannesburg, Blatter said: "We received a delegation from Ireland in Zurich on Friday and they were naturally absolutely unhappy at what has happened. They have not asked for any sanctions but have asked, very humbly, whether they could be team No33 at the World Cup."

That was greeted with laughter from some delegates and journalists present and it seems Ireland's plea will be politely turned down. Including them as a 33rd finalist would set a dangerous precedent, as Blatter acknowledged. "I will bring it to the attention of the executive committee but if we do that, we will also have to bring in Costa Rica," Blatter said.

Costa Rica believe they too were denied a place in South Africa unfairly, feeling a goal scored by Uruguay in their play-off was offside, and Blatter's tone suggested it was inconceivable Fifa would add any more countries to the finals.

An FAI statement read: "At one stage the FAI asked if Ireland could be accommodated into the World Cup 2010. Other suggestions were also made to mitigate against further occurrences of such incidents, including the use of additional goalline 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 play-off system seems certain to come under intense scrutiny tomorrow.

"In one match it is decided if you are in or out and this is not the spirit behind this World Cup," said Blatter. "We must have a look at this. There is so much at stake."