Thierry Henry has paid a higher price than Ireland - the loss of his reputation

By Oliver Holt

Published 23:00 19/11/09

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I feel sorry for Thierry Henry. No, really. Even more sorry than I do for Ireland.

Ireland have been cheated, sure. FIFA, who still doggedly refuse to help referees with video technology, owe Robbie Keane and his team-mates an apology and a replay, certainly.

But without coming over all Othello, I still think Henry's lost something more precious than the Irish players have.

Ireland have lost the chance to play at the World Cup finals, an opportunity that may never come the way of some of their squad again.

But they can say they played their hearts out in Paris, that they did their best and gave their all. They can be proud of what they did.

But Henry? Well, he's been stripped of the decency and the sportsmanship that always defined him. He's lost his reputation.

He will always be remembered for his handball against Ireland now. It will always be mentioned when his magnificent career is referred to.

There are some who will argue it has tarnished everything he has achieved, who will condemn him as a cheat.

But I don't think what he did in the Stade de France was cheating. Not really. Not like diving when you haven't been touched or feigning injury.

What Henry did was instinctive. He meant to do it, certainly, but I don't think he expected to get away with it.

By chance, I spoke to Michael Atherton yesterday and we talked about Henry and about the time Atherton nicked a ball from Allan Donald to the South African wicketkeeper.

He knew he'd nicked it but the umpire didn't give him out so he didn't walk.

Is that cheating? I don't think so. Because I don't think sportsmen should have to self-police when it comes to decisions like that.

Sometimes an umpire gives a batsman out when he's not out. Sometimes, he decides he's not out when he should be on his way back to the pavilion.

It's his call and the batsman and the bowler have to abide by it.

It's the same in football. It's not up to Henry to make the decisions. It's up to the referee and his officials to spot an infringement.

Henry said he told the referee the ball had touched his hand and the referee told him it wasn't up to him to make the decisions.

So I don't blame him and I don't think he's a cheat. I don't think what he did was pre-meditated.

I wish he hadn't done what he did and that, once he'd done it, the referee had seen it, booked him and ruled the goal out.

You know what, I bet Henry wishes that, too. I bet he wishes that what's done could be undone.

Then the reputation of one of the finest players of a generation wouldn't be in tatters, Ireland might be in the World Cup finals and the idea of fair play wouldn't be lying in the gutter.

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