FAI Blast FIFA President Sepp Blatter For Alleged Confidentiality Breach

"The FAI has already clarified that this matter was peripheral, was not raised in any of its formal written submissions to FIFA, and was explored only fleetingly as part of a wide-ranging 90-minute discussion with that body.

"Regrettably, the matter appears to have been singled out in public by Mr Blatter despite his assurances that the meeting would remain private."

The statement goes on to highlight the issues discussed at the meeting. Particular attention is drawn to the fact the FIFA decided to seed the play-offs for the finals only weeks before the games were due to take place.

"1. Ensure that FIFA's rules cannot be changed mid-way through a tournament, for whatever reason, commercial or otherwise.

"2. Introduce video technology for matches at the highest level which has been resisted for too long and which would have avoided the error that led, in part, to today's meeting.

"3. Implement additional goal line assistant referees for all FIFA international matches.

"4. In future, introduce stronger sanctions for players involved in match defining breaches of the Laws of the Game.

"5. Issue a clear statement that FIFA does not condone breaches of the Laws of the Game. For a man in Mr Blatter's position to empathise with someone who scored a goal by cheating is inappropriate.

"The FAI raised these matters only so that the likelihood of such incidents recurring be reduced and now leaves their consideration in the hands of football's world governing body."

Zack Wilson, Goal.com UK