Word: cupping
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...great sorrow of Irish soccer fans, the fat lady of their sport sang on Friday, dashing what little hope Ireland had left of reviving its vanquished World Cup dreams...
...Friday, Nov. 20, soccer's international governing body, FIFA, rejected Ireland's demands that its controversial World Cup qualifying playoff match against France Wednesday night be replayed in light of the clearly illegal play by French striker Thierry Henry that set up the goal securing France's ticket to South Africa next June. The reasoning went along with FIFA's established habit of focusing on the letter rather than spirit of its rules: if referee Martin Hansson failed to spot Henry's use of his left hand to rein in the ball - and let the ensuing goal by teammate William...
...weren't hearing any corresponding sighs of relief - and certainly no cries of joy - booming from France. Indeed, as the international furor surrounding Henry's handball showed no signs of abating Friday, the initially sheepish yet reassured reaction of French fans, commentators and politicians following their team's World Cup qualification morphed into something closer to shameful discomfort. (Read "France's Sweet Cheat Thierry Henry...
...time goal, including Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who said he'd personally take the issue up with French President Nicolas Sarkozy the next time they met. During a press conference later Thursday, Sarkozy met Cowen halfway, saying, "I told Brian Cowen how sorry I was" for Ireland's World Cup dreams having been derailed by Henry's actions, but adding that he couldn't intervene in an area that should be off-limits to politics. (See pictures of Sarkozy...
...Such wide disapproval in France was in stark contrast to the wide public support former French hero Zinedine Zidane received following his infamous head-butting incident with an Italian opponent during the 2006 World Cup final. Perhaps this is the reason Henry himself finally stepped up with a near mea culpa. In a statement sent to the British TV channel Sky Sports, Henry broke his silence since his postmatch admission that he had handled the ball, acknowledging that "the fairest solution would be to replay the game." He insisted that the use of his hand during the game...