" 

 ::OK, so winding up is part of sport. It is not sportsmanlike but it has to be accepted. But Materazzi began by shirt pulling and nipple twisting, then followed up with insults. Zidane tried to walk away from them but it seems likely that the insults persisted until the French captain's nerve tolerance snapped. Zidane may have denied racism but he has indicated that the insults were of a domestic nature. The whole episode seems to be compatible with a systematic attempt to get the Frenchman sent off. That is more than a mere ""wordly taunt"" and FIFA should be very concerned.  "