West Ham United centre-half Kurt Zouma is making the headlines for all wrong reasons. A video went viral recently where he was found booting and slapping his pet cat disgustingly across the kitchen floor. The Frenchman received intense criticism for his antics, but the Hammers boss David Moyes stood by him as he praised the club for taking immediate action in an attempt to handle the situation sensibly.
The action, meanwhile, has been a ‘heavy’ fine of £250,000. The 27-year-old is also set to take classes arranged by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), but the manager decided to start him against Watford hours after the video spread on the social networking sites.
He is also available for selection against Leicester City on Sunday evening, and it remains to be seen now how West Ham deal with the backlash if Zouma retains his place in the heart of the backline.
As a cat owner, Kurt Zouma’s abuse of his pet has made me feel physically sick tonight.
How could someone treat their animal like this for sport and cheap laughs?
He must never own a cat again. pic.twitter.com/tV905qI6pR— Dan Wootton (@danwootton) February 7, 2022
There have been a few after effects in terms of the sponsorship deals. Adidas terminated their contract with the centre-back, whereas Experience Kissimmee has also ended its deal with the club. Vitality, too, has suspended its contract, and the Irons, therefore, should have taken a stronger stance by dropping him against the Foxes at King Power.
Like the Watford game, Zouma is likely to receive massive jeers from the opponents. West Ham are definitely in the hunt for a Champions League berth, and the season-ending ACL injury to Angelo Ogbonna might be a reason why they are sticking with their star defender. Unfortunately, it happens to be all about achieving season objectives over setting an example.
Michail Antonio, the Hammers centre-forward, has backed his teammate by adding a different angle altogether. He has condoned the vile act but, at the same time, asked whether what Zouma has done is ‘worse than racism’.
The player was quick to apologize soon after the video went viral. However, there is a ‘mutiny‘ reported by Daily Mail as a clutch of players who earn significantly less than the France international might demand pay rises in the coming days.
Zouma’s brother Yoan, who represents Dagenham & Redbridge, has been suspended by the National League side for filming the video. It’s a laudable move from the non-league outfit as they have decided to drop him until the RSPCA conclude their investigation. A club of West Ham’s stature should do more to address the atrocity of this sickening incident given their recognition across the globe.
