A reputation lost for ever.

Byline: Oliver Holt

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

Ireland have been cheated. 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 has lost something more precious than the Irish players.

They lost the chance to play at the World Cup finals, an opportunity that may never come their way again.

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

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

He will always be remembered for the handball against Ireland now. It will be brought up whenever his magnificent career is mentioned.

Some will argue it has tarnished everything he has ever 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 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 selfpolice over 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 premeditated.

I wish he hadn't done it and that, once he'd done it, the referee had seen it, booked him and disallowed the goal. I bet Henry wishes that too and what's done could be undone.

Then the reputation of one of the finest players of his generation would not be in tatters, Ireland might still be in the World Cup and fair play would not be lying in the gutter.

CAPTION(S):

IRISH EYES ARE CRYING Damien Duff fights backs the tears