FIFA has begun disciplinary proceedings against Italy’s Marco Materazzi over the incident in which Frenchman Zinedine Zidane head butted him late in overtime of Sunday’s World Cup final.
Zidane was sent off after the attack — a reaction, he said, to repeated insults made by the Italian defender to him. Zidane apologized for his reaction, but said he did not regret it because to do so would imply he was wrong to have responded to Materazzi.
Zidane must send FIFA a written statement by July 18, Materazzi will then have the right to respond to the statement. Both players have been summoned to attend a face-to-face hearing before the disciplinary committee at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on July 20.