Learn mandarin - Zidane's red card was just, butt broke rules?

Sports/Olympics / Soccer

Zidane's red card was just, butt broke rules?
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-10 10:03

The most memorable moment of the World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane's butt
to the chest of Italian defender Marco Materazzi, was rightly punished by
a red card even though the officials did not appear to see it happen.

The France captain Zinedine Zidane was butting Italian defender Marco
Materazzi in the chest in extra time before Italy went on to win on
penalties during their World Cup 2006 final soccer match against Italy in
Berlin July 9, 2006.[tom.com]
The incident in the second period of extra time brought a premature end
to the great midfielder's career and he can have no complaints about the
justice of it.

He might, however, have cause to question its legality as it is against
FIFA rules for TV pictures to be used as a basis for a refereeing
decision.

Zidane had been an ever-increasing influence in the match, in which he
opened the scoring with a penalty in the seventh minute and almost won
with a wonderful header in the 104th only to be denied by Gianluigi
Buffon.

Then, after a French attack broke down early in the second period Zidane
trotted back from the Italian area exchanging comments with Materazzi.

Something the Italian said obviously hit a raw nerve as Zidane stopped,
walked back towards him and landed a fierce butt on his chest.

VOCIFEROUS BUFFON

Materazzi collapsed, Zidane continued on his way and the game continued.
It had not gone completely unseen, however as several Italian players,
with Buffon the most vociferous, approached the nearest linesman
demanding action.

Replays were shown on the hundreds of televisions in the media seats,
raising an audible gasp.

As the mayhem continued on the pitch Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo
consulted his linesmen and, so it was later discovered, the fourth and
fifth officials, who have access to TV but may have seen the incident
live.

The result was the red card and Zidane, who was also sent off for
stamping during the 1998 World Cup, walked away from football for ever.

Both coaches confirmed that the decision had been taken by the off-pitch
officials, both Spaniards, but each coach took a different view on what
that meant.

"It was not Materazzi who got the attention of the referee, it was the
fourth and fifth officials who pointed out what happened," said Italy's
Marcello Lippi.

"The French spectators didn't know what happened, they'll know when they
read the newspapers tomorrow."

France's Raymond Domenech said: "The referee saw nothing, the assistant
referee saw nothing and then we have the fourth official saying to the
referee what happened.

"We have video in football and then the fourth official tips off the
referee."

France striker Thierry Henry said: "If they want to use video evidence
it's not for one incident, they should use it for everybody and they
should look at Materazzi too."

Nobody in the French camp was saying what passed between the two players
but David Trezeguet said: "Zidane can leave here with his head held high.
There is more than football in life."

Materazzi refused to talk about the incident.

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