Ads mimicking Zidane head-butt banned

SYDNEY - A series of advertisements that mimic the head-butt by French footballer Zinedine Zidane on Italian player Marco Materazzi in the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup has been banned in Austria fearing violence during this year’s tournament.

Austrian authorities have banned advertisements where a woman hits a colleague with her head after he harasses her in the office and a driver who head-butts a police officer after he gives him a parking ticket, Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The commercials were part of promotional campaign by Austrian companies, which were hoping to benefit from the world’s most-watched event.

Zidane, who was also awarded the Golden Ball for the best player in the 2006 tournament, had said he would “rather die” than apologise to Materazzi for his actions.

“I will ask forgiveness from football, from supporters, from the team. But as for him (Materazzi) I cannot. Never, never… It would be dishonourable… I would rather die,” Zidane was quoted as saying by Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Materazzi later admitted insulting Zidane’s sister, but not his mother, before being head-butted.

“I made no references to religion, politics or racism. I exclude any insults to his mother. I lost my own mother when I was 15 years old. I would never insult anyone by having a go at their mother,” Materazzi said.