Word: frenched
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...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...
...deception from Ireland were audible in Paris, the Irish 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...
...French daily le Parisien ran a full-front-page photo of Henry reaching with his hand to control the ball under the headline "Le Malaise." In its Friday editorial, Libération urged French officials to join Irish calls to replay the match. The conservative daily le Figaro, meanwhile, was anything but hyperbolic, with its headline blaring, "Thierry Henry's Hand Has Become an Affair of State...
...Make that two states. On Thursday, Irish leaders aired outrage over France's illicit extra-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...
Indeed, his shunning of the limelight is probably what landed him the job. Although he is recognized in Belgium for defusing tensions between the country's Flemish and French speakers - a quality that could come in handy with the 27-member E.U. - his low profile appears to have endeared him to his initial sponsors, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The two leaders are thought to have balked at a big name like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as E.U. President, because they feared he could become a strong rival for the spotlight. Van Rompuy...