Bans for Zidane and Materazzi

FIFA handed Zinedine Zidane a three-game ban Thursday for head-butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final.
The suspension will not faze Zidane, who has since retired. But Italians were surprised by FIFA's decision to suspend Materazzi two games for "repeatedly provoking Zidane."
The Italian federation has to decide whether to appeal the decision.
World soccer's governing body also fined Zidane $6,000 and Materazzi $4,000 after a disciplinary committee heard the former France captain's account of what led to the incident.
Because Zidane has retired, he agreed to do three days of community service with children as part of FIFA's humanitarian projects.
Zidane has said he attacked Materazzi because he insulted his mother and sister. Materazzi denied insulting Zidane's mother.
The players apologized to FIFA for "their inappropriate behavior and expressed their regret at the incident," FIFA said.
In a French television appearance last week, Zidane apologized to children who watched the match, but said he didn't regret his actions because he was provoked by repeated harsh insults about his family.

Materazzi will miss Italy's opening two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Lithuania on Sept. 2 and France on Sept. 6.
The president of France's soccer federation said he was satisfied with the verdict.
"It was intelligent, measured and reasonable. It shows knowledge of the world of football," Jean-Pierre Escalettes said at a news conference in Paris.