Dasmunsi feels linesman was at fault in Zidane head-butting case

New Delhi, July 14 (UNI) All India Football Federation President Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi criticised Marco Materazzi for using filthy language which provoked Zinedine Zidane to head-butt the Italian in the World Cup final and felt the linesman was at fault for not noticing the incident.

Talking to UNI here today, Mr Dasmunsi said, ''In no way you can justify the filthy language Materazzi used to provoke Zidane. That was completely unbecoming of a gentleman,'' he said.

Mr Dasmunsi, who officiated as Match Referee in two World Cup ties in Germany -- the first Indian to be accorded the honour -- however, felt that the linesman was at fault for noticing the incident, which led to confusions.

''I think the linesman might find himself in trouble, for he did not notice the incident and raise his flag,'' Mr Dasmunsi said.

FIFA has ordered a proble into the incident and later issued a statement which read, ''The incident was directly observed by fourth official Luis Medina Cantalejo from his position at the pitchside, who informed the referee and his assistants via the communications system.'' Cantalejo later told a Spanish radio station, ''I saw it happen live, I didn't invent anything. The ball was elsewhere and that was where the referee was looking, while the linesman was getting back into position.'' For Mr Dasmunsi, it was a ''rare experience'' and the AIFF president said, ''Whatever I learnt in Germany, I'd try to apply it here in India.'' He also dismissed the notion that the World Cup saw some pro-active refereeing which impeded flow of the game.

''You can probably point out five out of the 32 matches to buttress your case but I think refeering wasn't bad at all,'' he added.

UNI AY VD PM1820