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Oh Snap! Zidane's Sister Target of Taunt

It has finally been revealed what it was that caused France footballer Zinedine Zidane to lose control and headbutt Italian player Marco Materazzi in the chest during June's World Cup Final. The media has claimed over the last two months that Materazzi had made racist remarks regarding Zidane's Algerian heritage. An expert forensic lip-reader said after reviewing the tape that the Italian had called Zidane "the son of a terrorist whore." That's pretty bad. Zidane himself, days after his disgraceful ejection from the most important game of his life, claimed Materazzi said something hurtful "concerning my mother and sister." However, in a Tuesday interview with Materazzi, he insisted he said nothing about the French captain's mother and the accusation was ludicrous considering the Italian lost his own mother at the age of 15. Materazzi also claimed he said nothing dealing with religion, politics or racism. So what exactly did the Italian do to provoke such an epic headbutt to the chest? According to the player himself, he made lewd sexual remarks about Zidane's sister. Here's how the story goes: Materazzi grabs Zidane's jersey as France made a push at Italy's goal late in the second half. Zidane sarcastically tells Materazzi that he can have his shirt after the match if he so desired. Materazzi tells Zidane, "he would prefer to have his sister". Nasty. Zidane pulls back and lays into Materazzi with a tremendous skull ramming that sends the Italian to the ground. Zidane gets tossed. Italy wins the cup. Now it seems to me that Zidane's response was a bit rash considering trash-talking on the pitch is quite common. Though lord knows, "I would prefer to have your sister" is a euphemism for something much worse. But this is what I don't understand. If Materazzi said something so nasty, why wouldn't Zidane come out and tell the world what was said? The only reason he wouldn't is if what Materazzi said was somewhat innocuous. This story, though unresolved, will be the lasting memory from the 2006 World Cup and when it comes down to it, I'm American and I don't really care.