The reactions were quick. After publication, by the tabloid The Sun, of a video where we see him hitting one of his cats, including a kick and a violent slap, Kurt Zouma has been fined by his club. “The maximum amount”, according to the club, reports the Times, or £250,000 (or €296,594), the equivalent of two weeks’ salary for the French international. The money will be donated to animal protection associations, the London club said.
In addition, the RSPCA (the English SPA) announced on Twitter that Kurt Zouma’s cats had been seized: “We want to reassure people that we are investigating and that the cats are safe and in our care. We were dealing with this even before the video went viral. We must follow proper legal process and not discuss this due to UK laws. »
Update on viral footage of cats
We’d like to reassure people that we’re investigating and the cats are safe and in our care. We have been dealing with this since before the clip went viral online and we need to follow the proper legal process and not discuss due to UK GDPR laws. pic.twitter.com/LticInSmpn— RSPCA (England & Wales) (@RSPCA_official) February 9, 2022
Booed with every touch of the ball
Since the publication of the video, the former Saint-Etienne player has apologized: “There are no excuses for my behavior, which I sincerely regret. I also want to say how sorry I am to everyone who was upset by the video. I want to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy. This behavior was an isolated incident that will not happen again. »
Tuesday evening, Kurt Zouma was a good starter in the defense of West Ham, who faced Watford (1-0). However, he was booed by opposing fans every time he touched the ball. A song was even dedicated to him when he found himself on the ground: “That’s what your cat felt. »