Head Butt Provocation

I am already sick of it, but here is the latest... (It's like a train wreck. You can't turn away).

Latest report, for those that care...

PARIS, July 10 (Reuters) - France captain Zinedine Zidane was apparently called a "dirty terrorist" by Marco Materazzi before he head-butted the Italy defender in Sunday's World Cup final, the anti-racism group SOS Racism said on Monday.

"According to several very well informed sources from the world of football, it would seem that the Italian player Marco Materazzi called Zinedine Zidane a 'dirty terrorist'," SOS Racism said in a statement.

Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, was shown a red card after the incident and Italy went on to win on penalties after the match was tied 1-1 following extra time.

The Paris-based group called for an inquiry and said world soccer's governing body FIFA had recently toughened sanctions against racism.



"It's for this reason that SOS Racism asks in a determined fashion for FIFA to shed light on this altercation and that sanctions laid out in the official rules be applied should this be the case," SOS Racism said.

Neither Zidane nor Materazzi have spoken in public about what had passed between them before the incident. French television reported that Zidane would talk about the incident "in the coming days".

 

I read something along the lines of this. Apparently Zidane recently made it public knowledge that he is a practicing Muslim which many feel lead to Materrazi calling him a terrorist.

I feel bad that Zidane would have to take such verbal taunts such as this, but I still do not condone him doing what he did.

 

Ah, I said Le Monde would come up with something... so it was Reuters instead.

Same thing.

 

Wow, if its true Materrazi deserved what he got. He should of kicked him in the balls while he was at it.

 

Nonsense!

It was obviously said for effect, if so, and since when are Muslims so sensitive and sheltered they cant handle such an obvious made to enrage insult.

He is a grown man with some sophistication, not a little boy bullied on the playground.

 

I agree. Words can be used to soothe the wounded heart or to enrage the soul to violence. But man's (and woman's) ability to reason and weigh the effects of our action or inaction, is one of the things that separates us from every other beast.

In this instance, Zizou was more beast than man. More animal than athlete.

 

Don't you think that Zidane has probably heard much worse in his career? The guys has played in several different countries for a variety of clubs and has basically touched every level of soccer that exists. He has seen it all.

In soccer there is some trash talking, always was, always will be so what so different about this situation? I don't care what the Italian called him, in a game you can't take it personally. As my father still tells me to this day when I play some nasty opposition, "Get them back by putting on in the net."

What is my point here?? That Zidane should've listened to my Dad.

 

Yes, Zidane should have been able to walk away. My point is that anyone who is going to throw around racial slurs deserves to get head butted and more.