Soccer: World Cup

01:55 PM CDT on Thursday, July 20, 2006

Associated Press

ZURICH, Switzerland – Zinedine Zidane was banned by FIFA for three games Thursday for head-butting Italy defender Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final. Now retired, the former France captain will serve his punishment by doing community work.

Materazzi was suspended for two matches for provoking Zidane with insults.

World soccer's governing body also fined Zidane $6,000 and Materazzi $4,000 after a disciplinary committee heard the French player's account of what led to the incident.

Zidane, who retired after his team's loss in the July 9 final in Berlin, was sent off for ramming Materazzi in the chest with his head.

He agreed to complete three days of community service with children as part of FIFA's humanitarian projects.

"Community service is not something foreseen in the regulations," FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said. "It is a gesture, given the special circumstances involved."

Zidane has said he attacked Materazzi because he insulted his mother and sister, while Materazzi denied insulting Zidane's mother.

FIFA said Materazzi was punished for "repeatedly provoking Zidane."

"Both players stressed that Materazzi's comments had been defamatory but not of a racist nature," FIFA said in a statement.

The players apologized to FIFA for "their inappropriate behavior and expressed their regret at the incident," FIFA said.

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 told a news conference in Paris.

"It's a verdict that satisfies me," he said. "The provoker of the incident has been punished."

He also said Zidane's "way of paying this penalty is perhaps the best that we could imagine."

Zidane, who had already submitted written testimony, spent about 90 minutes in a private hearing Thursday morning before a five-man FIFA committee. Materazzi appeared before the FIFA panel last week.

"We respect the definitive verdict by FIFA's disciplinary commission," Italian soccer federation commissioner Guido Rossi said. "But the episode was captured on television and (any opinion) is up to the judgment of people throughout the world."

Former Italy captain Paolo Maldini said it was "scandalous to ban a player for having said something."

"It's the first time that it's happened and it's only because Materazzi is Italian and because they want to justify the gesture of a great champion, who made a mistake," he said at AC Milan's training camp.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had suggested Zidane, widely considered one of the greatest players of his generation, could be stripped of his Golden Ball award as the World Cup's best player. The issue was not addressed by the disciplinary panel, 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.

Playing in extra time in his farewell game, Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words as the two walked up field. Zidane appeared to be distancing himself from the Italian, but then turned, lowered his bald head, and drove it into Materazzi's chest – knocking him to the ground.

Italy went on to win its fourth World Cup, 5-3, on penalties after a 1-1 extra-time draw.

The Italian soccer federation said it hasn't decided yet whether to appeal the decision on Materazzi.