Zizou the pawn

Much of the media furore over Zinedine Zidane misses the point. It doesn't matter if you love him or hate him, think he is a talented footballer, a shining example of cultural integration or merely a yob. What matters is his visibility. If we want children to take away the lesson that it's OK to head butt people, then be gentle on him. If we don't, then he should be punished severely - fined, vilified and, yes, prosecuted for assault. For better or for worse, Zizou is a pawn in a media game, and the outcome of that game will be highly instructive to many, many people.