The World is a Ball: French defender loses sponsorship, is fined and can be arrested for assaulting cat

French defender Kurt Zouma, 27, is paying a heavy price for attacking his own cat in England. He runs the risk of being arrested.

This week, a video that went viral on social media showed the West Ham player, from London, kicking and chasing the animal in his house – he tried to hit him with a shoe and even slapped him.

Zouma’s brother, Yoan, was the one who did the filming, on Sunday (6), and a child accompanied the scene. The Sun newspaper ran the video in a report.

The repercussion of the attitude was terrible, causing widespread revolt, especially in the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), a British association that defends animals.

West Ham initially took no action, and manager David Moyes, despite disapproving of the subordinate’s attitude, called him in Tuesday’s game against Watford, claiming he needed to bring the best formation possible.

During the match, valid for the English Championship, the French beck received constant boos from the team’s fans. Commentator Gary Lineker, a former England national team idol, called Moyes’ decision “a folly”.

If the coach’s idea worked for the result (1-0 win), it had a devastating effect on the club’s image and exposed the athlete even more.

Sportswear manufacturer Adidas, which had a contract with Zouma for him to wear the company’s cleats, ended the sponsorship.

West Ham has lost at least one of its sponsors, Vitaly (health insurance), and two others (Experience Kissimmeee, of tourism, and Yield App, of digital services) are considering breaking the tie.

With the events, this Wednesday the club decided to impose a fine of 250 thousand pounds (R$ 1.7 million) to Zouma, an amount equivalent to two weeks’ salary. The amount will be donated to animal protection associations.

“West Ham reiterates our condemnation of Kurt’s actions [Zouma] and makes it clear that the matter continues to be treated with the utmost seriousness. Kurt is extremely sorry,” the club said in a statement.

The RSPCA, which receives complaints of mistreatment (and cruelty to) animals and investigates these cases, asking the authorities to act, reported that it rescued the cats that were at Zouma’s house (there were two). They passed into the care of the entity.

In the legal field, the player, who apologized and declared that he was “deeply sorry” for the act of violence, adding that it was an “isolated incident”, will be prosecuted and risk being arrested in France.

Another association that fights for animal rights, the Paris-based 30 Million Friends Foundation, called on its lawyers to try to enforce the French Penal Code against the player.

An article in that code states that a French citizen can be prosecuted for criminal acts committed abroad.

French legislation, which became stricter since last year with regard to the protection of animals, says that mistreatment with them can lead to the aggressor up to four years in prison, plus a fine of 50 thousand pounds (R$ 354 thousand).

The foundation, as well as French politicians, including right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, have called for Zouma to be excluded from the France squad by coach Didier Deschamps.

The defender, who has played in English football since 2014, was a starter in France’s most recent match, in November 2021, against Finland, in the Qatar World Cup Qualifiers.