<p>He renewed his admission that he had controlled the ball with his hand, but insisted it was "instinctive" in the heat of the action.</p>.<p>"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control," Henry said, in a statement sent to Sky Sports News in Britain and other media.</p>.<p>"Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa," said the Barcelona and former Arsenal striker.</p>.<p>He released the statement after football's world governing body FIFA officially turned down a request for a replay lodged by the Irish football authorities.</p>.<p>Video replays showed Henry used his hand to stop the ball going out of play in extra-time of Wednesday's playoff in Paris, before he passed to William Gallas to head the goal which gave France a 2-1 win over the two legs.</p>.<p>Henry continued: "There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish."</p>.<p>He admitted immediately after the game that he had handled the ball, and reiterated that admission today -- but insisted he had acted out of instinct.<br /> </p>.<p>"I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball," Henry said.</p>.<p>"I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.</p>.<p>"As a footballer you do not have the luxury of the television to slow the pace of the ball down 100 times to be able to make a conscious decision.</p>.<p>"People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game.</p>.<p>"If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction.</p>.<p>"It is impossible to be anything other than that. I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game."</p>.<p>Swedish referee Martin Hansson failed to spot the incident, and awarded the goal which sent the 1998 World Cup winners into the draw for the 32-nation finals next year.</p>.<p>The Football Association of Ireland called yesterday for the match to be replayed, calling the decision to award the decisive goal a "blatantly incorrect decision by the referee" which had "damaged the integrity of the sport."</p>.<p> But FIFA said in its reply today: "The result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed."</p>
<p>He renewed his admission that he had controlled the ball with his hand, but insisted it was "instinctive" in the heat of the action.</p>.<p>"Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control," Henry said, in a statement sent to Sky Sports News in Britain and other media.</p>.<p>"Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa," said the Barcelona and former Arsenal striker.</p>.<p>He released the statement after football's world governing body FIFA officially turned down a request for a replay lodged by the Irish football authorities.</p>.<p>Video replays showed Henry used his hand to stop the ball going out of play in extra-time of Wednesday's playoff in Paris, before he passed to William Gallas to head the goal which gave France a 2-1 win over the two legs.</p>.<p>Henry continued: "There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish."</p>.<p>He admitted immediately after the game that he had handled the ball, and reiterated that admission today -- but insisted he had acted out of instinct.<br /> </p>.<p>"I have said at the time and I will say again that yes I handled the ball," Henry said.</p>.<p>"I am not a cheat and never have been. It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.</p>.<p>"As a footballer you do not have the luxury of the television to slow the pace of the ball down 100 times to be able to make a conscious decision.</p>.<p>"People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game.</p>.<p>"If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction.</p>.<p>"It is impossible to be anything other than that. I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game."</p>.<p>Swedish referee Martin Hansson failed to spot the incident, and awarded the goal which sent the 1998 World Cup winners into the draw for the 32-nation finals next year.</p>.<p>The Football Association of Ireland called yesterday for the match to be replayed, calling the decision to award the decisive goal a "blatantly incorrect decision by the referee" which had "damaged the integrity of the sport."</p>.<p> But FIFA said in its reply today: "The result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed."</p>
