Lawyer to challenge World Cup result (Reuters) Updated: 2006-07-14 17:16
A French lawyer plans to ask a court to intervene in the controversy over
Zinedine Zidane's sending-off in the World Cup final.
Doubts over whether a match official relied on video evidence of Zidane's
head butt to Italian defender Marco Materazzi meant the final should be
replayed, lawyer Mehana Mouhou said.
"I am going to ask the judge to question all individuals concerned and to
reconstruct the end of the refereeing," Mouhou, who is based in the northern
town of Rennes, told Reuters on Thursday.
"If it is proved that the fourth referee used video evidence, FIFA can have
the final replayed," he said.
Mouhou said he was acting on behalf of a number of clubs and associations
whose names he would reveal once the application had been filed with the
Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris, one of France's main civil courts.
French captain Zidane was sent off in extra time in Sunday's final in Berlin
after he head-butted Materazzi, apparently in reaction to comments by the
defender. Italy went on to take the World Cup after winning the match on
penalties.
The incident went unseen by the referee and his two linesmen. The referee was
informed about the head butt by the fourth match official who said he had
witnessed the action.
French team officials have challenged this version of events, saying the
official knew what happened because he saw a video replay.
FIFA rules prevent referees from using video evidence during the course of a
match.
"The divergence of opinion means that the justice system should decide,"
Mouhou said.
"If it is proved that video was used, I will ask for the match to be
nullified."
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