Soccer-Napoli vindicated as Zalayeta diving ban overturned

MILAN, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Napoli are thrilled their persistence in finding new video evidence has led to striker Marcelo Zalayeta having a two-match ban for diving overturned.

"We are satisfied, the truth has come out. Our player is not a diver," Napoli general manager Pierpaolo Marino told reporters.

"The decision vindicates what he have said from the first moment."

The Uruguayan fell over onrushing keeper Gianluigi Buffon to win a penalty in Napoli's 3-1 win over Juventus last Saturday.

Early television replays suggested the former Juve striker had dived over the keeper and he was given a two-match ban by the Italian league on Monday.

Napoli at first accepted the decision but when new television evidence came to light they launched an appeal saying Zalayeta had been clipped by Juve defender Nicola Legrottaglie and this had contributed to his fall.

The appeals body lifted the ban late on Tuesday, sparking a new debate about the usefulness of video evidence given the striker had been condemned and cleared by different footage.

Italian referees' chief Pierluigi Collina, who dropped Saturday's referee from his roster partly because of the disputed penalty, said he was still in favour of video evidence but defended his officials.

"A referee must decide in seconds. He can not be criticised for what you can see with a camera placed behind the goal," he told Italian media.