Thierry Henry' handball punisment

The only penalty I know for a handball in football is a yellow card. That penalty can be given by the referee during the match. There are other suspension penalties given after viewing the game tape, but only as severe disciplinary penalties. I think it would be more than unfair to punish Henry for that handball - it's not his fault the referee is a total moron or wanted to support France... I think they should think of ways of punishing the referee, not Henry. I supported Ireland too, France is a mere shadow of the team they used to be, since they have a puppet of a coach, but that doesn't keep me from being fair... Or at least I think I'm being fair...

It would be really bad if FIFA let's Henry go scot-free. I think the problem with FIFA is it's own motive to ensure that all the best players and teams as per them make it to the World Cup!! It is both sad and unfair on other upcoming teams. I think Henry should be banned from the whole world cup, because then that would act as a deterrent against future frauds of this nature by sports person!! Cheers! Ram

Absolutely, it is fair. I feel that Henry has suffered more than enough for this so-called "handball" offence. I do not justify his action, but tried to put myself in Henry shoes and felt that he used his hand to control the ball involuntarily, almost every person (in Henry's and France's situation) would have done the same thing. I feel if the match officials had seeing that he handled the ball and gave him a yellow card and denied the goal scored by France, Henry wouldn't have complained. The match officials are human. Any talk of "real" punishment for Henry or France will ridicule not only the match officials, but the entire game of football. The damage is already done and I strongly feel that we should let the sleeping dog lie. Enough is enough, leave Henry and France alone.

In my view, this one is absolutely fair, i don't think henry should be fined or suspended for this. if there is anyone to be punished, then that would be ref. after seeing the replay,i felt like, henry dint do it intentionally. moreover for a player good and bad decision are part and parcel. for that matter henry was undone many time and got luck many time during his stay at arsenal. player has to accept the fact that, he has to go with his luck. if the player make's a hand ball intentionally then action needs to be take, but i don't fell that henry has done it intentionally. but i fell sorry for Ireland. no matter how well u play, u need a bit of luck too... Ireland dint have it on that day.....i wish ki fifa bring in replay system or penalizing ref for the bad decisions. penalizing ref will keep more pressure on ref to delivery, but something has to be done to stop...i hope fifa looks into it more seriously........

Obviously its fair. Why is everyone so stuck to this matter. It was a world cup qualifying match.... lots of pressure and rush. He did a hand ball and then passed the ball and gallas scored. Anyways France is better team and if henry hadn't commited the hand ball and gallas wouldn't have scored the match would have gone to penalty shootouts and there were 80% chances that france would have won. Now would the fifa 2010 world cup would have been complete without france. No france meant..... no ribery no benzema no henry ...in the world cup... World cup would have been boring. And Henry apologised and as the captain of french team... requested a rematch but fifa denied. What can he do now... hang himself from Eiffel tower..... get a life..

i personally feel that henry's hand ball was an unfair act and a shame to France football. FIFA should have let this incident go so easily as it took out Ireland from their world cup place.. Henry should have been banned from playing his world cup and FIFA must take these kind of incidents little seriously...

Dude, this is football and nothing fair here. Wasn't it expected that Henry would get away with the handball incident. The fact that FIFA came up with play-off system in the last moment shows that they favoured France and Portugal to go through. France at the world cup will mean more eye balls and hence more revenue. Also, if they'd punished Henry for the handball, they would have to do it with other offenders as well. Not a practical solution at all considering the amount of cheating that goes on in modern day football. It is impossible to punish every offerder as they will start getting complaints from all leagues all over the owrld everyday. Such incidents have occured in the past and will keep occuring until technology is employed or referees start doing a better job.