That name is Martin Hansson, the Swedish referee of the France v Ireland World Cup playoff game held in Paris on Wednesday 18 Nov 2009, and it will go down in the annals of Irish infamy, for his monstrous blunder in not spotting Thierry Henry's deliberate handball which led to the winning goal for France and denied Ireland a place in the 2010 football World Cup.
What of the culprit, Thierry Henry, who handled the ball. Well, he's just a footballer, and footballers will occasionally infringe the laws of football to gain an unfair advantage if they are allowed to get away with it. After all poor Thierry isn't getting any younger, and a wee helping hand is needed now and again to compensate for that lost yard or two of pace in his tired old legs.
Feet stamping outrage by the Irish, apologies by the French (including Thierry Henry), and shame expressed by Swedes, will not change the fact that France will be going to South Africa next year, and the Irish will not. For the FIFA track record indicates that while they may express regret, they will not comply to Irish demands to have the match replayed. Ireland are not a big enough player in the politics of football, and do not have iconic figures such as Michel Platini (French) in powerful positions.
A hundred years from now mention of the name Martin Hansson will still provoke a bitter scowl on Irish faces.
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