West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma has been fined £250,000 and stripped of his two cats after he kicked one of his pets, BBC reported.
It all started with a home video that appeared on social networks, in which a football player kicks his Bengal cat, then chases him and gives him a slap in the face while a child holds the animal. According to the British media, in this way Zuma reacted to a vase broken by a cat.
After the incident, a scandal erupted around the athlete. So, celebrities and sponsors of the club spoke out in defense of cats. During the match, fans booed the player, and popular TV presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker said he was shocked that Zuma was allowed to play against Watford, calling the decision insensitive.
Essex County Police said on Tuesday they had launched an urgent investigation, but soon declined to open the case, according to the Sun newspaper.
Zuma himself has already apologized. Also, his coach apologized for the behavior of the football player, who put Zuma on Tuesday for the Premier League match.
Meanwhile, the British Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals confiscated both cats from him.
In turn, Vitality said that they were very upset by this video, and the actions of the club’s management were disappointing, so they decided to suspend sponsorship of the club.
Another sponsor, Experience Kissimmee, said that after being released on the field on Tuesday, Zuma will also be reviewing its sponsorship relationship with West Ham United. And Adidas announced that they were terminating the contract with the player.
