Bans for Zidane and Italian defender

Zinédine Zidane has been fined and handed a nominal three-match ban for his World Cup final extra-time head-butt on Marco Materazzi, who has himself been suspended for two games and fined £2,170 for provoking the incident, Gaurdian Unlimited reports.

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."

Italian soccer federation commissioner Guido Rossi issued a carefully worded statement, according to London Free Press.