Was Zidane's head-butt in the World Cup finals an act of violence?

Question

I'm having a debate in a forum with another member who says that Zidane's head-butt was not an act of violence. I want to conduct a small survey of the public at large to see if they agree with him or not.

To clarify, I'm not asking was his action justified, I'm not asking if you would've done the same thing, I'm just asking if it was an act of violence.

Thank you for your replies.

Answer 1

Based solely on what I heard reported, which was the guy that got head-butted said something disrepectful about the headbutter's mom, who happens to be dying of cancer. I don't think the headbuttee knew that, though I don't know. I think it was a violent physical reaction to an abusive verbal action.

Answer 2

It was an act of violence, yes.
It had a terrible timing, for sure.
But it is also an act of violence to call someone that his ''mother and sister are terrorists sluts'' many times during the match.
That's what Materassi told Zidane that made him react like that.
I'd justify that, but not the moment to do it. Zidane should have been more professional and hold it until the game ends.
By the way he reacted, he only did what the Italians wanted him to do.

Answer 3

I think most people will still be feeling high emotion about this incident and thus it may be very hard to be objective. I think it was user soccer_mind that mentioned in an answer the other day that cultures sometimes see things differently..ie some see verbal attacks as being worse and some see physical attack as worse depending on your beliefs and culture. To a large degree he is very correct about that. To me personally I would deem it to be "dangerous" more than violent. Violence in my mind conjures up more than what happened. A violent physical attack ,makes me think of a bashing or a rape or other similar act . So while I wish he had handled it differently I view it as dangerous.

Can I just add that the inciting of violence is no less damaging and no less dangerous as the act . If we did not incite violence there would be no reaction to it.

Answer 4

No, not an act of violence.

I'm adding these words so that you can get what violence means to me. Otherwise, you would arrive at a naught! An act of violence may get many dimensions under different situations. Yet, sometime violence is needed to end violence. The Peace-Keeping Force of the UN (almost all countries belong to it) starts a war to end another war. Every society under the Sun murders a muderer.

Answer 5

Yes, I think a head-butt is an act of violence. I suppose it's all relative. Zidane probably knew that a head-butt was non-lethal and unlikely to do serious injury to the other player.

Answer 6

It was a just act of violence. The other person on the recieving end of the headbutt, threatened Zidane's life, and his family. Saying that his wife was going die...and she has cancer. I would have done more than head butt that punk if it had been me

Answer 7

It was an act of intolerance and foolishness as he could have sorted out the differences after the match. I know that self respect has its own place (as per Zidan's statement), but still I think country's respect comes first.

Answer 8

It's an act of violence. Should we head-butt to anyone who may say "insulted words"on a world-wide match?

Answer 9

i think it definitely was an act of violence....keep in mind that this is not the first time that he has acted inappropriately during a match causing him to be removed from the game. i guess this shows that he has a bad temper and is unable to control himself.

Answer 10

should have been a red card, but the guy acted like he got hit by a damn hand grenade, it wasn't all that violent to me but then again I've grown up playing hockey. I personally wouldn't have thrown him out of the game even if I DID see it

Answer 11

based on the referee, it was violent conduct, hence the red card, i believe it was an act of violence, it was intentional, and it was meant to cause harm to another individual