A replay would be the “fairest solution” after his handball set up France’s clinching goal in their World Cup playoff with the Republic of Ireland, Thierry Henry believes.

Henry released a statement to news organizations in which he claimed again that he was not a cheat and that his handball had been an “instinctive reaction” as the controversy showed no signs of abating on Friday.

World governing body FIFA denied a request by the Irish Football Federation earlier on Friday to replay the game, a reality touched upon by Henry in his statement.

The Barcelona striker said, “The fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.”

Henry added, “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.”

He also said, “I have said at the time and I will say again that ‘yes’ I handled the ball. 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.”

(article and photo source: CNN)