Kurt Zouma, a Premier League player, was sentenced to 180 hours of community service. He has also had a five-year ban from owning cats after kicking and slapping his cat.
The West Ham and France defender drew significant attention after his brother Yoan Zouma videotaped him volleying the creature around his kitchen before hitting its head and hurling a pair of shoes at it.
At Thames Magistrates’ Court last week, Zouma, 27, accepted two counts of inflicting needless suffering to a protected animal by kicking it in the abdomen and smacking it on the head.
The club stated his act:
“West Ham United can confirm that Kurt Zouma has been handed a community service order following an investigation by the RSPCA.
“West Ham United wishes to make clear that we condemn any form of animal abuse or cruelty in the strongest terms. This type of behavior is unacceptable and is not in line with the values of the football club.
“Within 48 hours of the footage emerging, we fined Kurt the maximum available to the club.
“Every penny of this money is now with many deserving charities, all dedicated to animal welfare.
“Kurt admitted at the earliest opportunity that what he did was wrong. He has apologized without reservation.
Since the controversy over the tape erupted, Zouma has been subjected to racial insults and threats, lost a “significant” sponsorship agreement with Adidas, fined £250,000, and lost his spot in the France national squad, according to the court.
- Read More: How to Watch Argentina vs Italy Live Online
