Kurt Zouma could be prosecuted after being filmed booting his cat like a football across his kitchen floor. The West Ham star, 27, is also seen slapping his pet’s face.
The Sun reports the club has condemned his actions and will “deal with the matter internally” but that is hardly likely to satisfy the horror most decent people will feel at such an incident.
The Sun report adds: The West Ham defender is seen attacking the pet at his £2million mansion while his brother films him.
The 27 year old then drops his pet and boots it in mid air across the kitchen floor.
He then chases the animal around his dining room in front of a child as the cameraman laugh.
Zouma also hurls a pair of designer shoes at the pet — which frantically tries to escape.
In a final clip, he is seen forcefully slapping the cat in the face — and out of the child’s arms.
Zouma has issued a grovelling apology for the attack and insisted it was an isolated incident.
He said: “I want to apologise for my actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret.”
ClaretandHugh says: There was much relief when the central defender was found to be fit – that being confirmed by manager David Moyes at his press conference ahead of the Watford game. But it’s hard to see how the player will be welcomed back by the fans after this horrible incident and we can be sure that there will be much abuse from away fans when we go on our travels again this weekend. That will be fully justified. It’s hard to find words to describe people who abuse helpless animals and we can only hope the club comes up with a punishment which fits the crime which frankly is horrendous.
You are absolutely right and thanks for spelling out exactly how we feel seeing this. I’m an ardent WH fan but I’ll not stand by any player of ours who goes about behaving like this. I love the fact that most of us WH fans are honest and decent enough to call this out for what it is. Shameful.
What I’d give to have 5 mins with Zouma in his kitchen and treat him the same way as that cat – might be the only way that will teach him right from wrong.
I can only imagine that all that heading of the ball has destroyed any intelligence and empathy that Kurt Zouma was born with. Otherwise, it’s hard to imagine how a grown man in the UK in 2022, who has enough money to guarantee himself privacy, can find himself in a position where a) he’s physically abusing an animal; b) his equally heartless and equally dumb brother is filming the abuse, and; c) the film ends up in the hands of The Sun.
I couldn’t give a f**k about league positions or money. I’d be happy to see Zouma turfed out of the club this afternoon. F**k him. And his two bob brother.
With this coming off the back of the embarrassment of Yarmolenko tripping himself up in box on Saturday to gain an unfair advantage over the Kiddie defenders, who’d all played with far more determination and application than the Ukrainian has been able to summon in the three years that he’s been with us, I’d be happy to see the back of the pair of them this afternoon.
vERY VERY VERY WELL SAID LJD
I completely agree with both comments here. Within 48 hours we have seen the glowing best of our club (the treatment of the Kidderminster H’s staff, players and fans) following our cup ‘victory’ – which it has to be said, also saw one of our highest earners behave like an idiot and a cheat by throwing himself down in the box – but even this pails into insignificance when compared to the gratuitous and peculiar act of violence metered out on a defenceless cat by one of our ‘top 5’ players. It’s got to be said also that this was carried out in front of a child too which compounds it in an even more sickening way (if that’s possible) For this reason and the complete lack of empathy, understanding and intelligence it shows that Zouma should be shown the door – regardless of the the consequences. Issa Diop your club needs you!!!
I certainly don’t condone what Zouma has done but wish the same reaction and anger at Arab, Russian and Chinese club owners where human rights abuses are rife and often involves state sponsored murders!
Zouma has given a full apology and will certainly have to live with his actions. The cat involved by all accounts is ok unlike many citizens of the countries mentioned.
We have done…. and grovelling Zouma apologies are not good enough