Debs
12-07-2006, 12:16
Legal challenge to World Cup result by French lawyer
First Published: Jul 12, 2006
France's Zinedine Zidane leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris, July 10, after a lunch with French President Jacques Chirac upon the return of the France national team from Germany following their defeat against Italy in the World Cup 2006 final in Berlin. A French lawyer plans to mount a legal challenge to the World Cup final result to establish whether the expulsion of Zidane was within the rules.
A French lawyer plans to mount a legal challenge to the World Cup final result to establish whether the expulsion of Zinedine Zidane was within the rules.
Zidane, the French captain and playmaker, was sent off in the second period of extra-time of Sunday night's match in Berlin for a blatant headbutt on an Italian player.
But the off-ball incident was missed by the refree and his linesmen and it was only after consulation with the fourth match official that the decision to red card Zidane was taken.
Italy went on to win the World Cup shortly afterwards 5-3 on penalties.
Lawyer Mehana Mouhou, however, said he intended to ask a Paris court to question the fourth official to ascertain whether he had illegally used videotape to check what had happened.
"If a judge determines that illegal methods were used, the proper consequences must be drawn," he said.
"That means that Zidane should never have been sent off and it would be impossible to predict what the match result would have been and it should be replayed."
Mouhou said he was acting on behalf of "several football clubs."
http://www.wldcup.com/news/2006Jul/20060712_37452_world_soccer.html
First Published: Jul 12, 2006
France's Zinedine Zidane leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris, July 10, after a lunch with French President Jacques Chirac upon the return of the France national team from Germany following their defeat against Italy in the World Cup 2006 final in Berlin. A French lawyer plans to mount a legal challenge to the World Cup final result to establish whether the expulsion of Zidane was within the rules.
A French lawyer plans to mount a legal challenge to the World Cup final result to establish whether the expulsion of Zinedine Zidane was within the rules.
Zidane, the French captain and playmaker, was sent off in the second period of extra-time of Sunday night's match in Berlin for a blatant headbutt on an Italian player.
But the off-ball incident was missed by the refree and his linesmen and it was only after consulation with the fourth match official that the decision to red card Zidane was taken.
Italy went on to win the World Cup shortly afterwards 5-3 on penalties.
Lawyer Mehana Mouhou, however, said he intended to ask a Paris court to question the fourth official to ascertain whether he had illegally used videotape to check what had happened.
"If a judge determines that illegal methods were used, the proper consequences must be drawn," he said.
"That means that Zidane should never have been sent off and it would be impossible to predict what the match result would have been and it should be replayed."
Mouhou said he was acting on behalf of "several football clubs."
http://www.wldcup.com/news/2006Jul/20060712_37452_world_soccer.html