Materazzi sanction ‘not new precedent’

THE Football Association and FIFA have insisted the punishment handed out to Marco Materazzi for insulting Zinedine Zidane does not set any new precedent.

The Italy defender was banned for two matches for provoking Zidane, who head-butted Materazzi in the chest during the World Cup final. Both players stressed to a FIFA disciplinary panel that the insults were not of a racist nature.

The FA said yesterday that the charge of threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting behaviour was already within the regulations. Usually, however, players are unwilling to make a formal protest against rival players for insults on the pitch.