Materazzi admits insulting Zidane
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-12 08:49 Five years ago with Juventus, Zidane head-butted an opponent in a Champions
League match against Hamburger SV after being tackled from behind.
Meanwhile, Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni accused FIFA of double standards,
noting that soccer's governing body named Zidane as the tournament's best player
after his head-butt, while Italy forward Francesco Totti was kicked out of the
2004 European Championship for spitting in an opponent's face.
"I notice a difference in the way in which Totti was treated after the spit
and the way in which Zinedine Zidane has been lauded as a champion of soccer,
even though he is held responsible for such a violent blow that it could even
have had devastating effects," Veltroni said.
FIFA announced Tuesday it will open a disciplinary investigation into
Zidane's conduct.
FIFA also said that the ballot box for the tournament's top player — voted by
journalists — was open until after the final had ended, making it impossible to
know how many ballots were cast before the match and during it.
|
