After video evidence suggested that Materazzi had verbally provoked Zidane, three British media newspapers claimed to have hired
lip readers to determine what Materazzi had said, with
The Times,
The Sun and
Daily Star claiming that Materazzi called Zidane
"the son of a terrorist whore." In 2008,
The Sun and
Daily Star made public apologies to Materazzi.
The Times has yet to do so.
[18][19]
Zidane only partly explained that repeated harsh insults about his mother and sister had caused him to react.
[20] Materazzi admitted insulting Zidane, but argued that Zidane's behaviour had been very arrogant and that the remarks were trivial.
[21] Materazzi also insisted that he did not insult Zidane's mother (who was ill at the time), claiming,
"I didn't talk about his mother, either. I lost my mother when I was fifteen, and even now I still get emotional talking about it."[22]
Zidane replied that Materazzi had seriously and repeatedly insulted his mother and his sister. He apologized but added that he did not regret his offence because he felt that this would condone Materazzi's actions.
[23] Two months later, Materazzi offered his version of events, claiming that after he had grabbed Zidane's jersey, Zidane remarked,
"If you want my shirt I will give it to you afterwards," and he replied to Zidane that he would prefer his sister, but claimed during the interview that he was unaware Zidane even had a sister.
[24] Over a year after the incident, Materazzi confirmed that his precise words to Zidane were:
"I prefer the whore that is your sister.
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