World soccer governing body Fifa said on Thursday they have opened a disciplinary inquiry into the behaviour of Italy World Cup winning defender Marco Materazzi.
In a statement, Fifa said: ”The decision was taken following claims made by French player Zinedine Zidane, who attacked Materazzi with a headbutt during the final of the Fifa World Cup in Berlin on July 9.”
According to the statement, Zidane said in an interview that he reacted to repeated provocation from the Italian.
Fifa will study the circumstances of the incident and both players — Zidane is already under investigation — are due to present their cases to the world football governing body by July 18.
They will then have to appear in person before Fifa’s disciplinary commission in Zurich on July 20, their first meeting since Zidane felled Materazzi with a butt to the chest just minutes from the end of extra-time in the World Cup final, which Italy won on penalties. — AFP
