Oh sweet Jesus, FIFA continue to expand the boundaries of complete ineptitude.

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Swede Martin Hansson, who was at the centre of France’s controversial World Cup qualification, has been named among the 30 referees for the finals in South Africa in June.

Hansson failed to spot Thierry Henry’s handball in the play-off second leg against Ireland in Paris in November and was widely criticised after the incident led to the goal which allowed France to qualify.

He was however named after Friday’s meeting in Zurich of the refereeing committee of world football’s governing body FIFA.

Among the other officials appointed were Englishman Howard Webb and Swiss referee Massimo Busacca, who have also grabbed headlines over the last year.

No Australian referee was chosen.

Eight officials return from the 2006 finals in Germany where the refereeing was roundly condemned after a spate of controversies.

It led to FIFA setting up a special referee’s assistance program to better train top officials for the 2010 finals.

Among those returning is Benito Archundia of Mexico, who handled the 2006 semi-final between Germany and Italy, and Italian Roberto Rosetti, who also officiated the Euro 2008 final in Vienna.

Norwegian Tom Henning Ovrebo, who turned down a raft of penalty appeals by Chelsea in last season’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, was overlooked. (ABC Online)

So lets look at this in a calm and rational manner, if possible. FIFA admitted that a huge error had been made and even went as far as to claim that Thierry Henry had in fact cheated, or words to that effect, yet not only did the French team progress (not much could be done about that after the fact unfortunately), but the Barcelona striker received no punishment and to top it all off, the referee who committed the biggest mistake of them all, by not spotting what was a clear as daylight handball, well he has been named in the list of officials at the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa. You couldn’t script this stuff.

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