Materazzi Speaks

Are you ready for this? I said, aw, forget it. Two months after Zidane's shameless and indefensible violent action, Marco Materazzi revealed what was really said on the pitch yesterday.

After Zidane told Materazzi he could have his jersey after the game, Materazzi answered, "I'd rather have your sister." This was confirmed by FIFA.

That sound you hear is the sound a twig makes when it cracks. This is what Zidane's meltdown was all about? No wonder the French soccer federation and the famous political French PR machine went into action. It HAD to spin this.

For their part, Italian officials ordered Materazzi to remain silent - until yesterday. Italians are not too keen on getting into a shouting match with France. Who does?

Which brings me to the suspensions. That Materazzi got two games and a fine while Zidane - who RETIRED - got three plus a fine was bizarre. In the end, Zidane and France got off light for their embarrassing behaviour. They not only lied - claiming that Materazzi uttered a racial slur - but they tried to protect a liar.

Heading into today's match between France and Italy, the Azzurri are without Materazzi.

It has nothing to do with 'what was said' nor are we going to come up with impossible and draconian laws to stop trash talking as some alluded to. There are certain aspects of sports that are just not pretty and this is one of them. It was an exercise in rich hypocrisy when everyone sought to get to the bottom of what was said.

It's feels as though we pick and choose where we will seek justice. There was nothing to look for. Zidane chose to act like a thug and it will go down as the single greatest act of stupidity in sports history. That Zidane was called a 'hero' by its impotent leader Jacques "Black Jacques" Chirac proved how far they were willing to go to protect its fallen star.

Somehow I doubt that the French never engaged in trash talking themselves.

After Danielle DeRossi dangerously elbowed an American player, he immediately apologized and said he was a 'dickhead' for doing what he did. Touché. No one disagreed. He got suspended FOUR GAMES. Same with Francesco Totti in 2004 who was sent home for spitting on a player. No one cared to find out what the infamous troublesome Poulsen did to instigate him. No matter. Italians demanded he be sent home.

FIFA and its President Sepp Blatter sent the ultimate wrong message. Not only did he not show up for the presentation of the World Cup to Italy as it is customary, he slapped them with a final insult by keeping Materazzi out of an important Euro qualifier.