LONDON — Just in case you had forgotten, FIFA's motto is Fair Play.
A few weeks before the World Cup playoff draw in October FIFA decided to change the procedure. Having initially ruled the draw would be open and having told national associations this, FIFA moved the goalposts at the 11th hour and decided it would be seeded.
This was designed to help bigger countries such as France, which eventually reached South Africa thanks to Thierry Henry's helping hand against the Republic of Ireland.