Fifa money to FAI: Jim Boyce wants answers over payment after World Cup play-off defeat

France striker Thierry Henry handled the ball in the build-up to the goal which ended the Republic of Ireland's hopes of reaching the 2010 World Cup

Former Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce is "astounded" that money was paid to the Football Association of Ireland to stop legal action after a World Cup exit.

Football's world governing body said on Thursday that it paid the FAI 5m euros (£3.6m) after France controversially beat Ireland in a World Cup play-off.

Mr Boyce has called on Fifa's executive committee to begin an investigation.

"How anyone can authorise a payment of 5m (£3.6m) to stop legal proceedings is totally beyond me," he said.

Fifa is currently in crisis as it faces criminal investigations having been engulfed by claims of "systemic and deep-rooted" corruption, and its president Sepp Blatter is stepping down.

FAI chief executive John Delaney said he had believed they had a case against Fifa after French striker Thierry Henry's handball in the build-up to a decisive goal in the 2009 match in Paris which caused Ireland to miss the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

He said he and Mr Blatter "came to an agreement" after the Fifa president publicly dismissed the country's appeal to be made a "33rd team" at the tournament.

A Fifa spokesman confirmed it had "entered into an agreement with FAI in order to put an end to any claims" against it.

Jim Boyce said the revelations of the Fifa payment to the FAI were "incredible"

Mr Boyce, a former Irish Football Association president who completed his term of office as Fifa vice-president last week, said he wants the FAI's payment investigated.

"If this was authorised by the president of Fifa without the knowledge of the executive committee this is something that has to be looked into," he said.

Threatened

"I'm absolutely astounded. I have never heard anything as ridiculous in my life.

"If a payment of 5m [euros] has been paid because of a handball and threatened legal action then I hope a full investigation will be carried out into this and any other such arbitrary payments."

The money was to be repaid if Ireland qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but they failed to do so and Fifa wrote off the loan on 31 December 2014.

The FAI said the money was spent on the new Aviva Stadium that opened in May 2010 after the old Lansdowne Road ground was redeveloped.

Roy Keane joked that FAI boss John Delaney was "always" proving to be a distraction

Mr Boyce described Mr Delaney's admission as "incredible".

"I've never known in my experience of football someone giving a payment like that for a referee's mistake to stop someone taking legal action," he added.

On Friday, the Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane refused to comment on the payment.

"Not today, I'm not in the mood for all that stuff today," he said when asked about the controversy.

But when asked whether Mr Delaney was "a distraction" to the national team's on-field matters, he joked: "Isn't he always?"