Zidane sending off...

[Plastic Paddy]

And if, unknown to Zidane, someone had planted a nuclear warhead in Materazzi's shirt, it could have meant death for us all.

Won't somebody please think of the children?

Old Confucian saying - if you have nothing to say, say nothing. You might do well to heed it.

PP

[Marked Man]

Old Confucian saying - if you have nothing to say, say nothing. You might do well to heed it.

PP

You might want to think about your confucian saying yourself. That was more or less the thing I had to say in the first place.

[town73]

FROM Sky News:

A lip-reader has reportedly revealed the words which provoked Zinedine Zidane's now infamous World Cup final headbutt.

Marianne Frere claims Italian defender Marco Materazzi insulted the French captain with a stream of racial and personal abuse.

She told The Sun that Zidane was called a "son of a terrorist whore" before he lashed out and was sent off.

Reports in France have suggested it was the reference to the Algerian-born star's mother which made him blow his top.

His mother Malika had been taken to hospital seriously ill only hours before Sunday's final.

Zidane's agent Alain Miglaccio said the player had told him a 'very serious' comment had been made during the match.

Italian news agency Ansa quoted Materazzi as saying: "It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist.

"I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means."

Italy won the match 5-3 on penalties, with Zidane missing the shoot-out in his final match before retirement.


http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0...,00.html?f=rss

[Reality Bites]

Two days after the World Cup Final, a quick glance in the newsagents will show that the Zidane storey as it unfolds is Huge, all the main Irish Broadsheets have for a second day a picture of Zidane on the cover! and with the revelations of Matterazzis racist terrorist remarks this will get bigger and become what i believe to be a defining moment in history, with global terrorisms and the Iraq War defining the time we live in. Maybe some of Zidanes frustration was football related but alot was rage at a racist slur to a man proud of his roots and heritage and who like many muslims or people of middle-eastern descent have been hurt by global events of the last 6 years or so. This will be viewed in the same way as Muhammed Ali's anti-war stance or the Black panther salute in the Mexico Olympics.. If the racist slur which i believe it to be, becomes fact, I see Zidane being forever becoming a some sort of minority hero and Matterazzi ultimately casted as a Villian, afterall the Setting could not have been Bigger and the players reputation likewise,, You wouldn't even hear about if the same thing was said by a Ukrainean player to an Algerian in the First round.

Sometimes events in sport transcend sport and become truly significant historical moments. The Zidanes headbutt is certainly that.

[Dodge]

Jumping the gun slightly. AFAIK he didn't make any rascist remarks...

[NeilMcD]

Two days after the World Cup Final, a quick glance in the newsagents will show that the Zidane storey as it unfolds is Huge, all the main Irish Broadsheets have for a second day a picture of Zidane on the cover! and with the revelations of Matterazzis racist terrorist remarks this will get bigger and become what i believe to be a defining moment in history, with global terrorisms and the Iraq War defining the time we live in. Maybe some of Zidanes frustration was football related but alot was rage at a racist slur to a man proud of his roots and heritage and who like many muslims or people of middle-eastern descent have been hurt by global events of the last 6 years or so. This will be viewed in the same way as Muhammed Ali's anti-war stance or the Black panther salute in the Mexico Olympics.. If the racist slur which i believe it to be, becomes fact, I see Zidane being forever becoming a some sort of minority hero and Matterazzi ultimately casted as a Villian, afterall the Setting could not have been Bigger and the players reputation likewise,, You wouldn't even hear about if the same thing was said by a Ukrainean player to an Algerian in the First round.

Sometimes events in sport transcend sport and become truly significant historical moments. The Zidanes headbutt is certainly that.

Hyperbole at its best.

[Billsthoughts]

It's called a football forum where we discuss, erm, football. And it has to be said you're as sad as the rest of us.

I dont see where I called anyone sad for discussing football??????
I just think some of the "oh someone please think of the children" crap is a bit much to swallow.

[jebus]

In fairness to my previous posts I have said that Zidane was justifiably sent off for his headbutt, but I'm with Trezeguet on this one, somethings in life are more important than football, and stamping out racism in this world is one of them. I think it's obvious that Materazzi said something vicious, whatever it actually was we'll probably never know, but if it was something in regards to his mother's nationality, Zidane's own nationality, or anything that insults him as an Algerian or links him to the Islamic fanatics sOrely because of where he was born than I stand by my claim that Materazzi got what was coming to him.

To be honest I'm sick of this, 'you can't do that on a football field' attitude. If Materazzi had approached Zidane on the streets and rattled off a volley of racial abuse, and Zidane responded with headbutting him most likely you'd all be cheering him, because it happened in a football match it gets equated to be being the worst thing thats happened since the London bombings. All I'll say is that I'd rather be the guy who headbutted a racist, rather than be the racist himself

[Dodge]

Agree BUT its far from certain he said anything about anybody's race or even his family.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...06/5169342.stm
Materazzi defended himself on Tuesday in the Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport, when he said: "It was the kind of insult you will hear dozens of times and just slips out of the ground.

"I didn't call Zidane a terrorist and certainly didn't mention his mother."
I am ignorant, I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is; my only terrorist is her," he said pointing to his 10-month-old daughter.

"I did not bring up Zidane's mother; for me a mother is sacred."
"I held his shirt, for only a few seconds," said Materazzi, who had scored Italy's equaliser after Zidane put France ahead from the penalty spot.

"He turned towards me and scoffed at me, looking at me with super arrogance, up and down.

"He said 'if you really want my shirt, you can have it later.'

"It's true, I shot back with an insult."

[jebus]

I agree that Materazzi can't be punished because we don't know what was actually said, but I'd like to know how it all leaked out so quickly and from so many sources that the comments were racist in context. A lot of the time the saying 'there's no smoke without fire' ring true. Couple that with Materazzi's previous levels of scumminess, the no place sacred wind ups that go on on a weekly basis in Serie A (again apparanlty, I've never been on the recieving end of one myself) and couple it Materazzi's obviously untrue statement of 'I don't know what an Islamic terrorist is' and I'm not prepared to let him off the hook just yet

[Dodge]

I agree that Materazzi can't be punished because we don't know what was actually said, but I'd like to know how it all leaked out so quickly and from so many sources that the comments were racist in context.

Can you show me one of these sources please? I've honestly not seen one 'insider' claim it was rascist. All the French players who've commented and indeed Zidane's agent jsut stated it was serious. I think most British/irish journalists actually want it to be rascist (for whatever reason). Just off the phone to a mate in Paris and practically nobody there cares what was said, I e-mailed him a afew links (BBC etc) and he couldn't believe the furore.

BTW I agree if it was rascist then materazzi should be punished, but no point in criticising him if he didn't.

[jebus]

Can you show me one of these sources please? I've honestly not seen one 'insider' claim it was rascist. All the French players who've commented and indeed Zidane's agent jsut stated it was serious. I think most British/irish journalists actually want it to be rascist (for whatever reason). Just off the phone to a mate in Paris and practically nobody there cares what was said, I e-mailed him a afew links (BBC etc) and he couldn't believe the furore.

BTW I agree if it was rascist then materazzi should be punished, but no point in criticising him if he didn't.

Well I was just taking it from spring up on this differant countries newscast on sunday night. People on here were saying something about Russian reports I believe, and also from French, Spanish and Southern American news reports. Granted they could all be coming from the one person looking to stir the pot a bit, but I'd be surprised if they ALL fell for a false report

[Dodge]

Has happened before (in far far graver circumstances ) - most news agencies "suspected" the Madrid bombings were bt ETA. Like I said I think most news agencies actually want this to be about race. I hope it isn't. I hope its just the usual childish footballer b0llocks that happens all the time that Zidane totallyover reacted to.

Oh adn I'm on record here as saying Zidane can do whatever he likes AFAIC

[Jerry The Saint]

I'd like to know how it all leaked out so quickly and from so many sources that the comments were racist in context. A lot of the time the saying 'there's no smoke without fire' ring true.

The main source of the racism rumours is French anti-racism group SOS-Racism and their source is

"several very well-informed (anonymous) sources from the world of football".

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/15012224.htm

Most of the media stories that mention racism have taken it directly from this group, giving the appearance of a weight of evidence against Materazzi.


We may never know what exactly was said (Zidane's word against Materazzi's, leaving aside the potential of Materazzi's insult being mistranslated by Zidane into something more/less hurtful than intended) but SOS-Racism have certainly got good publicity out of it and their statement helps to justify Zidane's actions.

If your French is good:

Paris, le 10 juillet 2006 - Zinedine Zidane traité de « sale terroriste » ? SOS Racisme demande une enquête à la FIFA.

Selon plusieurs sources très bien informées dans le monde du football, il semblerait que le joueur italien Marco Materazzi ait traité Zinedine Zidane de «sale terroriste ». Si cette hypothèse se confirmait, le joueur italien serait donc l’auteur d’un propos raciste, attitude malheureusement courante dans le football et dénoncée par notre association depuis plusieurs années.

Alors que l’ensemble du mondial était placé sous le signe de la lutte contre le racisme et que la FIFA a fait modifié son règlement en avril 2006 a la suite des propos racistes proférés à l’encontre de Samuel Eto’o, nous demandons à la FIFA d’être à la hauteur de ses déclarations.

C’est pourquoi SOS Racisme demande avec fermeté à la FIFA de faire toute la lumière sur cette altercation et que les sanctions prévues par le règlement officiel soient appliquées le cas échéant.

SOS Racisme restera extrêmement vigilante quant à la suite donnée à cet incident.

Couple that with Materazzi's previous levels of scumminess

I don't think a history of thuggishness is particularly relevant to this incident. I'd give more weight to Zidane's history of lashing out (14 red cards in his career I believe). Now if MM had a history of racist taunts that would be a different story.

[lopez]

... If Materazzi had approached Zidane on the streets and rattled off a volley of racial abuse, and Zidane responded with headbutting him most likely you'd all be cheering him, because it happened in a football match it gets equated to be being the worst thing thats happened since the London bombings. All I'll say is that I'd rather be the guy who headbutted a racist, rather than be the racist himself

Never mind about what we'd be thinking, if he done it in the street he'd be arrested. It seems to have escaped you that it wasn't long ago that your fellow countrymen in the part of the world I live in were routinely labelled terrorists. No such get out of jail card for me if I gave any of the people who said that I was a terrorist from the seventies to the early nineties, a head butt. Were they racists? They must be by your logic. I just think they were c*nts.

And what a blow for anti-racism ZZ has done this weekend. Say we have this racist employer in perhaps Paris interviewing a French born Algerian this week. Will he take him on? No way! The first mention of the T word et voila, someone needs an ambulance. If Zidane was racially insulted, do the right thing and shame Materazzi. The evidence, in hindsight is available.

Too much sh*te spoken on here by those who don't know the first thing about racism, either as someone white or black, of which another good example...

...and with the revelations of Matterazzis racist terrorist remarks this will get bigger and become what i believe to be a defining moment in history...This will be viewed in the same way as Muhammed Ali's anti-war stance or the Black panther salute in the Mexico Olympics.. If the racist slur which i believe it to be, becomes fact, I see Zidane being forever becoming a some sort of minority hero ...Sometimes events in sport transcend sport and become truly significant historical moments. The Zidanes headbutt is certainly that.

...is this. To compare this tw*t with the dignity shown by John Carlos and Tommy Smith in Mexico is an insult to both men. Both were kicked out of Mexico, disowned by their Olympic Comittee which (headed by the racist Avery Brundage) and much of the African American community, and ended up with cr*p 'careers'. In Carlos's case he spent the seventies in menial jobs and ended with his wife killing herself. Zidane's campaign against racism is sh*te. Who's he kissing a*se with on Monday: Jacques Chirac, who as Mayor of Paris came out with his infamous 'Le Bruit et l'odeur' speech of 1991 about those of the same background to Zidane.

...Like I said I think most news agencies actually want this to be about race...

They're not the only ones.

[Dodge]

They're not the only ones.

Obviously but they're the ones pushing the agenda.

And BTW don't be attacking Zidane, he's said nothing. He headbutted a guy, not the biggest crime to happen at the weekend. I'd say he'd love it if all the hype died. He's not the one to turn it into a rascism thing*



*yet, he may do but until anything happens....

[FarBeag]

Never mind about what we'd be thinking, if he done it in the street he'd be arrested. It seems to have escaped you that it wasn't long ago that your fellow countrymen in the part of the world I live in were routinely labelled terrorists. No such get out of jail card for me if I gave any of the people who said that I was a terrorist from the seventies to the early nineties, a head butt. Were they racists? They must be by your logic. I just think they were c*nts.

Very true. If he had done this on the streets he would have got charged with at least ABH and would have got a nice little stretch for himself. For the life of me I can’t understand why some people on here appear to justify Zidanes actions.The man is no angel by all accounts,had earned a very healthy living from football and am sure the odd insulting comment over the years. He is supposed to be a role model to kids growing up and he heads butts an opponent viciously in a world cup final.There is no excuse for it, none what so ever.

Why do people think that it must be a racist thing? Eight years ago, Zidane was also red-carded for stamping on an opponent against Saudi Arabia.I am sure being from North Africa this mans religious and cultural beliefs were the same as Zidanes.I wonder what excuses were used then to simplify Zidanes reactions then. Unfortunately nasty exchanges of words are made towards people every day of the week and if we all reacted like Zidane it would be a very sad world to live in.

[Dodge]

For the life of me I can’t understand why some people on here appear to justify Zidanes actions.The man is no angel by all accounts,had earned a very healthy living from football and am sure the odd insulting comment over the years. He is supposed to be a role model to kids growing up and he heads butts an opponent viciously in a world cup final

In fairness not many have actually defended what he did, most have just said it doesn't really matter. Oh and I hate this notion that footballers should be role models for kids.

The ****ing hype (on both sides) around thisthing is unbelievable.

[Clifford]

Zizu on French tv tonight apparently. That should clear it up....

[jebus]

Very true. If he had done this on the streets he would have got charged with at least ABH and would have got a nice little stretch for himself.

I'd love to know what part of the world yourself and Lopez live in, must be great knowing that if you commit a crime you're going to be punished. More realistically if he had headbutted a guy on the street he would either A) have walked away care free down the road whilst some old ladies muttered about the disgrace of todays youth, or b) walked away care free whilst a guard pretended he didn't see what happened and started hasseling a few kids with skateboards.

Still what remains is the basic disagreement that sometimes I think a headbutt is justified, as in the case of racism (whether Materazzi did so or not, I don't know, but neither do ye)