Thetownend.com

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/5198796.stm

Materazzi gets a two match ban, Zidane gets a three.  What kind of message does that send out.

Materazzi shouldn't have been banned or fined at all.

Good work FIFA, for once.

It sends out the message that you can't insult people personally during a game of football. Materazzi has accepted his punishment and admitted he was wrong.

Whilst someone who uses violence gets a very similar punishment, stupid.  I'd love it if kids around the country start headbutting other kids who insult their family.

End of the day though Materazzi's a current world cup winner whilst Zizou retires in disgrace.

Where does it say he admitted he was wrong?

"During the course of their hearings both players also apologised to Fifa for their inappropriate behaviour and expressed their regret at the incident."

In there?  I expect he decided to keep his mouth shut in front of the Football Nazi's in fear of further punishment.

I think they should have a foul football world cup. It would be ace.

racism is illegal as is physical violence, therefore both acts have rightfully been punished.

kids and adults all around the world already take physical retribution on each other as a result of something said. most fights start because of something said.both knew they were in the wrong for their actions.

As much as i hate him, there is no way Materazzi should have been banned.

Its quite humerous really, due to his retirement ZZ is really getting away with it.  Now hanging him, that may have worked...

Or, on the subject of racism, OF:

A bit of verbal is all part of the game, everyone knows that.  What a shame that FIFA do not look into ridding the game of divers and players feigning injuries rather than punishing a man for saying something, which has yet to be confirmed.

They should have washed his mouth out with soapy water, that would have learnt him!

And as for banning ZZ, what exactly is the point of that? Perhaps he'll miss the first 3 games of any masters/beach tournament he chooses to play in  :| Or if he chooses to become a manager or coach will he have a touchline ban imposed on his first 3 games? TWATS

what a load of bollocks.

The logic is utterly flawed.  OF you are being a big girl.

He only insulted his mother FFS, and as a 35 year old man Zidane should have known better to react violently- particually when I doubt Matterazzi actually meant it - he was just trying to wind ZZ up.

Its such a shite precendent to set.

agreed, the world cup was a massive missed opportunity to stamp out diving and such cheating, but to say that something is non-punishable just because 'it happens all the time' isn't much of an argument in my book - i dont see why you should have to take personal insults off fellow professionals whilst playing a game

Whilst I think the verbal insult was wrong, he shouldn't have got a ban at all. Nobody else gets banned when they do it.

I have to say I agree with Piemonte.  ZZ should have the self control to stop himself acting in this manner.  It was a World Cup Final, for God's sake, and what he did was irresponsible and childish.  The man is a fool.  And French.

Great quote from a bloke up the pub last night, talking of the french (he make have stolen this), we were talking about the monarchy, whether we should get rid of them or not, his wise words were

"Without the monarchy, we'd just be french"

Zidane has got off very lightly there. An insult about someones mum (not even a racist remark in this case) happens in playgrounds all over the world, and although not right, it also happens in every game as alan shearer said after the game. Also dint the original press comment from zz's agent say that the comments had been racist? Zidane is a cunt and should have got a much heftier fine due to him retiring.

The comments were not racist, both players confirmed that!!!

I think Zidane is entirely to blame. Headbutting somebody over a "your mum" joke?!

R4E - Your mum's so fat when she swims in the sea all the whales sing to her "we are family"

So whats going to happen now ?

Everytime someone gets sent off for violent conduct, they're going to say , "but he insulted my mother", and there will have to be a FIFA enquiry ?

What a load of bollox !

I've thought for a long time that they should allow steroids and all the other illegal substances at the Olympics. Imagine the Olympic games with every fucker on drugs - the 100 metres in 5 seconds - high jumping over double decker buses.  I would pay to watch that :shock:

Any way - back the the subject in hand.......

by the same logic, diving has always been around too so lets keep that in the game too

How is saying something to someone comparible with cheating to win free kicks/penalties?

Your arguement is seriously flawed.

Maybe FIFA should introduce a rule where players aren't allowed to speak during games in fear of upsetting someone.

if you point out the flaws i'll be glad to correct you.

personally insulting another player is against the rules of football just like cheating and both a completely unnecessary part of the game. just becuase 'its always been around' (which seems to be your only argument so far) is no reason for it to be acceptable or non-non-acceptable.

Its such a gay arguement OF.

Grown men should be able to take a bit of stick without nutting the perpatrator

Grown men should not fall over with no contact and writhe in fake agaony

I think this argument is getting away from the fact that it was a great headbutt.

If you're going to be that mouthy in any walk of life, then you should expect to get hit.  It's not as if he really hurt him is it ?

If you follow your arguement OF the world would be in chaos.  If everyone reacting to the slightest provocation every man woman and child on the planet would be headbutting/attacking everyone else.  

Winding someone up is not against the rules, as long as the abuse does not contravene the ungentlemanly conduct rule, in which case the offending player should be cautioned.  Repeat offenders should be sent off.  However in this case the referee heard nothing, the other officials heard nothing and TV evidence could not prove what Materazzi said.

All we know is Zidane used his head to attack Materazzi and was dismissed, in keeping with the rules.  Materazzi's ban is FIFA's pathetic way of trying to save Zidane's blushes.

If there was evidence of Materazzi racially abusing Zidane I'd agree that a ban was needed, however as far as I can see FIFA have banned him on a whim.

the perpatrators shouldnt be so pussy and gay as to resort to personal insults. just get on with the bloody game.

Is that an official FIFA statement?   :wink:

you've extrapolated from my words here, i'm not saying that everyone should take retribution for every little thing said, i'm saying that if you do start mouthing off then you can't complain if someone does something about it. then if the matter goes to a disciplinary hearing you don't have much of a comeback because you instigated the physical retribution. you can't fine and ban the man who took action but let the mouthy one off with nothing - if he'd not said what he did then zidanes actions wouldn' have followed. punish the one who knocked him one and the one who caused him to, as both are against the rules.i'm certainly not disputing that zidanes dismissal was not "in keeping with the rules". it was obviously a red card.

no, what we know from the replays is that materazzi grabbed zidane and his shirt, zidane says something then materazzi says 3 things which eventually piss off a player enough to end his last ever football match and the world cup final early.

materazzis ban is fifas was of pointing out that you should just play football, keep your mouth shut and not antagonise other players.
more or less, yep. thats the message they're sending out by punishing materazzi too.

Or maybe everyone would be a little bit more respectful towards each other if they thought they might get nutted :wink:

I don't care about bans, I just think you shouldn't say things like he did regardless of where you are.  Now, if he'd said something funny....

So basically, if you decide to elbow someone in the face, can you now claim it was because of a bit of verbal, and then they too get banned?

 :nod:  Exactly.

you can claim all you like but if tv replays dont prove it, then no.

the rules of football haven't changed because of this incident.

 :nod:

But TV evidence didn't prove what Materazzi said.  

That's all your honour, I the defence rests.

Brilliant.

So now everytime there is a bad foul / ruck the FA / Fifa / Uefa have to get the lipreaders in.

The national lipreaders union must be jizzing themslves at this massive increase in business

but they did prove that he said stuff. and he admits it (bbc: "who has admitted insulting the France captain). it doesn't matter exactly what he said, he personally insulted him and it was bad enough for a man playing in a world cup final which was 2-2 at the time, and his last ever football match, to end it early.

the facts are that materazzi insulted zidane and zidane took physical retribution. both acts are against the laws of the game and so punishable in the way they have been. there is no reason not to punish materazzi, he broke the rules.

not at all. like i said, the rules of football have not changed.

you've got to consider the context within which the incident occured; we don't play world cup finals every saturday.

Thats even more non-sensical.

This ruling should apply across the board or not at all. What qualifies as being a big enough game then?

Oxford Utd v Forest Green?

OF ,have you ever played football at a decent level ? Verbals are part and parcel of the game , if i had got lairy everytime ive been "verbally abused" on a pitch i would owe the FA thousands of pounds in fines . Its a big boys game and ZZ should have either ignored him or taken the piss with a nutmeg .

you missed the point. can't be arsed to explain it even more.and you've missed a point made ages ago. and yes i've played football, i'm probably better than you.

you dont get it. you just dont get it.

Your mums a slag

Spoken like a true wannabe ref there OF, which is half the problem- all budding referees are more spasticated and have less discretion than the current crop.

Were you joking about condeming Materrazis "racism" or are just thick?

just back from a big dinner at my nans and can't resist one more point....there's no argument here. just trying to explain why fifa have done what they have, correctly.

still the only point of your argument for materazzi's ban being incorrect is that personal abuse in the game is commonplace.

auf english bitte, david

and if you'd like to add anything of any worth to this debate please do us all a favour and enlighten us with your pearls of wisdom

i'm stuffed from it, my nan is an ace cook. had cold roast beef, potatos, jacket potato, spring onions, lettuce, bread and butter, boiled eggs. perfect meal for this heat

I have my opinion- which is that of everyone elses except yours- but no pearls of wisdom. Niether do you because you're a bit-part sunday ref in training.

no pearls needed on my part as the verdict has already been given.

reffing has nothing to do with it either, especially as i've never reffed a match. no need to start getting personal and bringing it down to materazzi's level.

and you've missed a point made ages ago. and yes i've played football, i'm probably better than you.[/quote]

I would doubt that very much, you are either posting on here,smoking dope or poncing off of the state. Tell me at what level you have played and i might be impressed ? Its time to put up or shut up .

i was joking (but i probably am better than you anyway).

i played for the mighty cumnor fc for 7 years, 11-18.

Just because the scummer doesn't agree with the rest of you, doesn't mean that his opinion is any less valid. I don't agree with what he's said but this is getting as personal as the Materazzi/Zidane incident itself.