Animal cruelty scandal at West Ham
Zouma abuses cat in front of the camera
2/8/2022, 1:14 p.m
Kurt Zouma kicks his cat through the kitchen like a soccer ball: A disturbing video of the French national player becomes public and causes great outrage. Zouma’s club West Ham United condemn animal cruelty, Zouma says the cats in his household are ‘loved’.
French national soccer player Kurt Zouma has come under heavy criticism for abusing a cat in front of the camera. A video circulating online shows the Premier League defender West Ham United kicking his cat like a football and throwing shoes at it. In another scene, he hits the animal in the face violently with the palm of his hand while it is being held by a child. Laughter can be heard in the background. The 27-year-old apologized for his behavior.
The recording, which according to British media was made by Zouma’s brother Yoan for Snapchat and which the British tabloid “The Sun” published, caused great outrage. Criticism came from both the British Animal Welfare Association RSPCA and Zouma’s London club West Ham United. “This is a very disturbing video. It is never acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal as punishment or for any other reason,” the PA news agency quoted an RSPCA spokesman as saying. A statement from the association on Twitter said that many references to the video had been received.
“No justification for my behavior”
“We unreservedly condemn the actions of our player, Kurt Zouma, in the video that has been circulating,” West Ham United said in a statement, according to Sky News. “We have spoken to Kurt and will work this out internally, but we want to make it clear that we do not condone animal cruelty in any way,” the club also said in the letter.
Zouma apologized for the video. “There is no justification for my behavior, which I sincerely regret,” Zouma said. He assured that the two cats in his household are fine. “You are loved and appreciated by our entire family and this behavior was an isolated incident that will not be repeated,” Zouma promised. Zouma probably does not face criminal consequences. According to Sky Sports, the Metropolitan Police in London will not investigate the incident.