West Ham’s Kurt Zouma could miss tonight’s Premier League game with Watford after a video showed him kicking and hitting a cat.
The defender’s club have condemned his actions – he’s apologised saying it was an “isolated incident“.
27-year-old French international Zouma mindlessly kicked the cat across the floor and slapped it in the face.
He has apologised and the club say they will deal with the incident internally.
“I want to apologise for my actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret,” the centre-back said in a statement.
“I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video. I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy.
“They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.”
Further footage, first published by The Sun and reportedly filmed by Zouma’s brother Yoan, shows the player throwing shoes at the pet and chasing it around a room.
Yoan Zouma plays for Dagenham & Redbridge and the National League side said: “I deeply regret my involvement in the video that has been widely circulated and unreservedly apologise, not only for my actions, but for the upset and distress this will have caused to so many people.
The Metropolitan Police will not investigate the incident.
