Giveth With One Hand and Taketh with Another

By Andrew Warshaw in Cape Town

December 2 - Talk about a double whammy. No sooner did Thierry Henry’s France become the fall guys in a revamped seeding system for next summer’s World Cup than Henry’s own damaged reputation took another serious battering.

FIFA’s decision today to make Henry the subject of an investigation by their disciplinary committee for his extra time handball smacks of making an example of the Barcelona and former Arsenal striker.

Many will praise FIFA for taking action against Henry in the light of the most infamous piece of cheating since Diego Maradona’s Hand of God in 1986.

But others will view it as making Henry a scapegoat especially when FIFA, at the same press conference, announced they were doing next to nothing about assisting referees - a classic example of lethargic conservatism.

When Sepp Blatter called a rare extraordinary meeting of his Executive Committee at short notice, hopes were raised that some action would at last be taken to prevent instance of deliberate cheating.

Instead FIFA preserved the status quo - just as they have always done when it comes to video technology.

Announcing that there would be no change in the rules next summer and that there was no chance of rushing through two extra officials behind the goal - being trialled in this season’s Europa League - FIFA have taken a giant backward step.

Instead Henry once again finds himself the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons.

Blatter said FIFA’s disciplinary committee would “open an investigation” not only into Henry’s behaviour but also into the trouble that marred the World Cup qualifiers between Algeria and Egypt.

So what will happen to the man who had, until his moment of ill-thought, been regarded as one of the most respected fair play ambassadors?

FIFA’s disciplinary committee has wide-ranging powers from a reprimand to a suspension though the former is the most likely outcome in the circumstances.

At least Blatter conceded that, despite his well-known aversion to the concept of technical assistance for referees, the pressure and tension of the game at the highest level might demand a rethink.

“We had a lengthy discussion on match control and refereeing and the committee was of the opinion that we are at a crossroads,” he said.

“Where shall we go with refereeing in the future - because the game, especially at the highest level, is so tense that it is impossible for one referee with two assistants and the fourth referee to see everything?

“Is it time now to open the file on technology or shall we go with what has been done so far and add more human beings?”

But having kicked around all these issues, nothing, he said, would change and the current system of refereeing would be introduced for the 2010 finals.

Only one phrase comes to mind.

What an anti-climax.

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