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.

An FA spokesman said: “We have charges covering that area already and we have always had the capability to take action for insulting behaviour.”

French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes claimed his organisation would now use the case as a new standard at all levels of the domestic game while Giacinto Facchetti, president of Materazzi’s club Inter Milan, claimed the case set a new precedent.

FIFA, though, maintains the case is in line with existing rules and does not set a new standard.

“We will continue to consider each case on an individual basis,” FIFA’s head of media Andreas Herren told PA Sport.

“If we decide to investigate it, the disciplinary committee will give each party the chance to state their case to give a fair picture of the events, the same as we do now.”

Asked what level of insult determines a punishable offence, Herren pointed out that provisions are already in place, referring to article 54 of the FIFA disciplinary code.

The article reads: “Anyone who insults someone in any way, especially by using offensive gestures or language, will be sanctioned with a match suspension.

“If the perpetrator is a player, he will be suspended from at least two matches; if he is an official, he will be suspended from at least four matches.”

French football chiefs have pledged they will follow the example of FIFA in punishing players who insult opponents on the pitch.

In the latest case both players were also fined and as Zidane is now retired he will not serve his three-match ban but instead will help FIFA with humanitarian work for three days.

Escalettes told the www.fff.fr website: “Materazzi will not appeal against the sanction. In punishing the provocateur, FIFA has set an example even if Zinedine Zidane is guilty.”