Lhe video went around the world. Football player Kurt Zouma was seen there violently beating and kicking his cat. His English club West Ham announced on Wednesday February 9 that it had imposed the “biggest possible fine” after the broadcast, the day before, of the images of the scandal. The maximum fine a club can impose on their player is usually two weeks’ wages, which in the Frenchman’s case would amount to almost €300,000 in total. “The player immediately accepted the fine and requested that the amount be donated to an animal rights organization,” the club said.
Shocked by these facts of animal abuse, Internet users demand justice. A petition calling for legal action against the defender has already gathered more than 100,000 signatures on Wednesday February 9 at midday in Great Britain. The text in French and English called “Pursue Kurt Zouma and immediately take all his animals to a safe place! “, posted on the change.org platform, had 118,500 signatures shortly before 12 noon GMT. “In the UK we have laws against animal abuse, laws that should apply to everyone, rich or poor, famous or not! We call on the Metropolitan Police and the RSPCA to urgently investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous act,” according to the text of the petition.
The success of the text has increased further after the London club’s highly controversial decision to let 27-year-old Zouma play in the league against Watford on Tuesday night. Taken aback by fans, including some of his club, Zouma was jeered at throughout the game and when he went down after a foul by an opponent, some even sang “That’s what your cat feels” .
READ ALSOFrench footballer Kurt Zouma embroiled in an animal abuse scandal
The player has not been suspended by his club
Assuring that he loved animals “a lot”, Hammers coach David Moyes defended his decision to start the Frenchman by explaining that he needed to field his best players, West Ham are currently in the fight for a qualification for the very lucrative Champions League. But the case escalated to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who called Zouma’s actions “despicable” and said he was “disappointed” with the coach and managers. “I know how important three points can be, I am also a supporter of a club, but they should have been firm and suspended it for last night”, declared the mayor on Sky News, stigmatizing the implicit message sent to “young people (who) see a Premier League player get away with an unacceptable attitude”.
One of West Ham’s sponsors, “Experience Kissimmee”, a holiday resort in Florida, has announced that it will review its financial ties with the club. “To see player Kurt Zouma in West Ham’s starting XI last night was heartbreaking,” the company wrote on its Twitter account, saying it had asked the club for clarification.