Do you agree with the 2 game ban on Marco Materazzi by Fifa?

Question

http://sports.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/...showbyline=True

Soccer's world governing body has slapped retiring French midfielder Zinedine Zidane with a three-match ban for head-butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final.

FIFA's disciplinary committee made the ruling Thursday and also banned Materazzi for two matches for his part in the incident, which occurred in extra time of Italy's 5-3 penalty shootout victory over France on July 9 in Berlin.

Zidane's three-match ban is purely symbolic as the Frenchman retired from soccer after the World Cup final. In light of his retirement, the midfielder will perform community service on FIFA's behalf instead.

"As Zidane has now retired from international [soccer], the committee took note of Zidane's pledge to do three days of community service work with children and youngsters as part of FIFA's humanitarian activities," FIFA said in a released statement.

Materazzi, who was banned for "repeatedly provoking Zidane," will miss I

Answer 1

I don't agree b/c the insults weren't grave enough to warrant that. Those insults are thrown on the field all the time, BUT, b/c the incident took place at the WORLD CUP before an audience of billions, then they needed to penalize him....

Remember the headbutt Zidane did while playing with Juventus? He was provoked then too, but no investigation incurred. Remember Totti spitting on a player last year? He was provoked then too, but no investigation incurred....and on and on and on.....

Answer 2

i dont agree with the ban on Materazzi simply because i dont think he said anything that constitutes the reaction Zidane gave. Even if Materazzi did provoke Zidane, Zidane should have had the self control not to head butt another player because he has been playing for so long he should be used to heckling by now.

Answer 3

why only two for Materazzi, not three like Zidane. But it doesn't matter, at least Zidane gets to help the community, unlike Materazzi who will continue insult others when he's back in the field.

Answer 4

Not really, but it's not so bad either.

Zidane was banned for one more day and fined a larger amount of money, which means that Fifa found him to be a little more at fault than Materazzi. Based on this consideration, I think Fifa should have revoked his Golden Ball.

Answer 5

It is obviously the judgement FIFA felt was appropriate after HEARING THE FACTS...which we still are only assuming. For all those saying his comments are said on the field all the time, how do we know what the comments were and if in fact those particular ones are used all the time. We don't. Even Cannavaro, one of the fairest and most genuine players in football has said what was said was very very ugly, leading one to conclude that they in fact are not regular comments or trash talk and FIFA clearly felt that they weren't either hence the suspension.

Answer 6

No but at least he only has to sit out 2 matches before he can play again. I think they should have found something harsher for Zidane though. If they looked at the damage that Zidane could have caused (death) with that headbutt I think they would have.

Answer 7

Materazzi should be banned for making racial epithets to Zidane he provoked him and he got what he deserved.

Answer 8

its only 2 qualifying matches that materazzi is banned from. at least he can still play after that.

Answer 9

Totally, Materazzi provokes first ^^.

Answer 10

Only 2 matches?!?

ought to be a year, something like Ferdinand's ban after missing a dope test.