French lawyer challenges World Cup result

PARIS: 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.