Agencies
 
 
ZURICH, July 20: France's Zinedine Zidane was given a three-match ban and a 7,500 Swiss franc fine for head-butting Italian Marco Materazzi in this month's World Cup final in Berlin.   
 
Materazzi was banned for two matches and fined 5,000 Swiss francs ($4,010) for his part in the incident which occurred in extra-time before Italy's penalty shootout victory.

France captain Zidane was sent off near the end of extra-time in the World Cup final, which Italy eventually won on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in Berlin on July 9.

Zidane has since explained the incident by saying Materazzi insulted his mother and sister. The Italian however denied he insulted Zidane's mother.

While Italians celebrated their fourth World Cup crown, France and the rest of the world wondered just what had made the 34-year-old footballing genius act in the violent way he did in what was the final game of his career.    

 
FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said, "As Zidane has retired, the commission has noted Zidane will also make himself available to FIFA for humanitarian activities with children and adolescents."
 
Materrazi was punished for "repeatedly provoking Zidane," according to a report on the official website of FIFA.
    
The committee, headed by Swiss Marcel Mathier, gave both players the right to be heard in accordance with the FIFA disciplinary code.
 
The hearing with Marco Materazzi was held at the FIFA headquarters on July 14, while Zidane was questioned during Thursday's meeting.
 
In their statements, both players stressed that Materazzi's comments had been defamatory but not of a racist nature. What exactly was the insult was not revealed.
 
During the course of their hearings, both players also apologised to FIFA for their inappropriate behaviour and expressed regret at the incident.