FAI respond to Fifa claims that association received $5million after Henry handball

Water meet mud

The plot thickens tonight as FIFA have issued a statement surrounding today’s dramatic John Delaney interview on RTE.

The head of the FAI confirmed today that the organisation had received a payment from FIFA in lieu of a legal action surrounding Thierry Henry’s handball in 2009 in the controversial World Cup play-off in Paris.

Delaney would not be drawn on the exact figure, but speculation indicated that it was €5million. He told the presenter he could not give specific information due to a confidentiality clause,

“It’s a very good agreement for the FAI and a very legitimate agreement for the FAI. I’m bound by confidentiality for naming the figure.”

“You’ve put a figure out there [€5 million] and fair play to you. It was a payment to the association not to proceed with a legal case. And in there they signed a confidentiality agreement where I can’t talk about the amount involved.”

“You used a figure there, well done to you, but it was a very good and legitimate deal for the FAI.”

The internet has gone bonkers for the story and now it has taken another twist with FIFA issuing a statement to confirm a payment of $5million…but as a loan to be used for help in building a stadium,

“While the Referee’s decision is final, and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) ultimately accepted it as such, in January 2010 FIFA entered into an agreement with FAI in order to put an end to any claims against FIFA.”

“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 updatefor 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.”

So that’s that cleared up then.

Lovely.

UPDATE 21.12

The FAI has this evening issued it’s own statement on the matter.

“Further to FIFA’s statement this evening in relation to the €5m settlement with the FAI, the Association can now confirm that a legal settlement agreement was reached with FIFA following the threat of a legal case by the Association against world governing body in early 2010.”

 “The matter has been reported before in the media however the Association has, until now, abided by the confidentiality agreement required by FIFA as part of the settlement.”

“The settlement was reached following strong legal advice given to the Association regarding the case against FIFA, and was a legitimate payment that enabled the Association to put €5m into the Aviva stadium project. This is fully reflected in our financial statements which are audited independently. The Association accepted FIFA’s settlement offer to avoid a long, costly and protracted legal case. The offer given to the Association was fully written off by FIFA in 2014.”

“FIFA’s settlement with the Association has at no time influenced the FAI’s criticism of FIFA as demonstrated by our consistent criticisms of Sepp Blatter. Furthermore the settlement was made without any conditions other than confidentiality.”