West Ham striker Michail Antonio has questioned why there are requires team-mate Kurt Zouma to be sacked for kicking and slapping a cat when footballers convicted of racism are nonetheless allowed to play professionally.
Zouma has confronted a fierce backlash after he was movie kicking the cat in his £2million mansion. Sponsors Adidas have already dumped him whereas different sponsors have withdrawn their assist from West Ham due to their weak response to his behaviour and for persevering with to select him.
For the reason that video was launched on social media, Zouma has been hit with the utmost positive of two weeks' wages by his membership - £250,000, which can be donated to animal welfare charities.
However West Ham team-mate Antonio at present questioned the equity of the general public response, asking why some footballers who've been convicted of racism have not confronted comparable calls to be sacked from the sport and lose their livelihoods.
TERRY AND SUAREZ WERE ACCUSED OF RACISM
'I've obtained a query for you,' Antonio responded when requested about Zouma's actions as he drove into West Ham's coaching floor this morning.
'Do you suppose, what he is accomplished is worse than racism?
'I am not condoning a factor that he is accomplished - I do not agree with a factor that he is accomplished in any respect. However there's folks which have been convicted in courtroom for racism and that has performed soccer afterwards. They obtained punished, they obtained a eight-game ban or one thing like that.
'However folks are actually calling for [Zouma] to be sacked, folks to be sacked and lose their livelihood. I've simply obtained to ask this query to everybody out there may be, is what he is accomplished worse than what the folks have accomplished who've been convicted for racism?'
It isn't clear which racism courtroom convictions Michail Antonio was referring to this morning, on condition that no high-profile footballers have ever been discovered responsible in legal proceedings.
In 2012, Chelsea and England star John Terry was cleared in courtroom of racially abusing fellow footballer Anton Ferdinand, after it was alleged he had described him as 'black' and used excessive sexual swear phrases. Terry was, nonetheless, banned for 4 video games by the FA, fined £220,000 and stripped of the England captaincy.
Then-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was given an eight-game ban and a £40,000 positive by the FA after an unbiased regulatory fee discovered the him responsible of racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra in 2011. The case didn't go to courtroom.
West Ham are additionally counting the price of their controversial choice to stay by their man and begin Zouma in Tuesday night time's Premier League match in opposition to Watford, with life insurance coverage firm Vitality suspending their £500,000-a-year sponsorship.
Sponsors together with Expertise Kissimmee and Yield App are actually evaluating their relationship with the east London membership. Umbro condemned the abuse which was caught on digicam, whereas Heineken mentioned they have been 'appalled'.
In the meantime, the RSPCA introduced on Wednesday that they'd seized the cats owned by Zouma, taking them in for a medical check-up.
The pets will stay of their care till their investigation is full and will but be returned to the participant.
In addition to his public apology, Zouma has apologised to his team-mates at their coaching floor. It's understood the £29.8million defender can be despatched on an animal consciousness course by his membership as a part of his punishment.
However as revealed by Sportsmail, he isn't set to be dropped from their squad for Sunday's journey to Leicester Metropolis until it emerges that the cats have been injured whereas in Zouma's care.
It was supervisor David Moyes's choice to begin Zouma in opposition to Watford on Tuesday.
Moyes mentioned afterwards he chosen him as a result of he needed to discipline the 'greatest workforce' and that he was 'one among our higher gamers' - feedback which attracted criticism on Wednesday, together with from mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who described the scenario as 'despicable'.
Sportsmail has been informed a part of the supervisor's pondering was that he needed the participant to 'face the music', figuring out he can be jeered by supporters at any time when and wherever he performs following the footage.
Greater than 200,000 folks have signed a web-based petition calling for Zouma to be prosecuted.
Essex Police have confirmed they're liaising with the RSPCA, who mentioned on Wednesday: 'We might wish to reassure people who we're investigating and the cats are secure and in our care. Now we have been coping with this since earlier than the clip went viral on-line and we have to comply with the right authorized course of and never talk about because of UK GDPR legal guidelines.'
Zouma was booed all through Tuesday's sport on the London Stadium, along with his shock choice coming hours after West Ham had issued a press release through which they 'unreservedly condemned' his actions.
The video was believed to have been filmed by Zouma's brother, Yoan, additionally a soccer participant for Dagenham and Redbridge, who then uploaded it to Snapchat.
'West Ham United wish to reiterate our condemnation of Kurt's actions and make it clear that the matter continues to be dealt with with the utmost seriousness,' the membership mentioned in a press release on Wednesday, including the participant, who has apologised, is 'extraordinarily remorseful'.
Kurt Zouma's apology in full:
Adidas confirmed Zouma has misplaced his boot sponsorship, with the corporate saying he 'is not a contracted athlete'.
In the meantime, an RSPCA spokesperson confirmed: 'We're investigating and the cats are secure and in our care.
'Now we have been coping with this since earlier than the clip went viral on-line and we have to comply with the right authorized course of and never talk about because of UK GDPR legal guidelines.'
The footballer, who's on £125,000 per week, has been docked two weeks' wages by his membership.
A press release mentioned: 'West Ham United can affirm that the membership is supporting an RSPCA investigation into the actions of Kurt Zouma within the video circulated on-line this week.
'Kurt and the membership are co-operating absolutely with the investigation and the participant has willingly complied with the steps taken within the preliminary stage of the method, together with delivering his household's two cats to the RSPCA for evaluation.
'Kurt is extraordinarily remorseful and, like everybody on the membership, absolutely understands the depth of feeling surrounding the incident and the necessity for motion to be taken.
'Separate to the RSPCA's investigation and pending additional sanction as soon as the end result of that course of is decided, West Ham United can affirm that Kurt Zouma has been fined the utmost quantity potential following his actions within the video that circulated.
'The participant has instantly accepted the positive, which can be donated to animal welfare charities.
'West Ham United wish to reiterate our condemnation of Kurt's actions and make it clear that the matter continues to be dealt with with the utmost seriousness.
'Nevertheless, we consider it's now necessary to permit the RSPCA to conduct their investigation in a good and thorough method, and can be making no additional remark at this stage.'
It comes because it emerged he might resist 4 years in jail in his native France for kicking and slapping the felines.
A authorized criticism has been filed in opposition to the 27-year-old in Paris, the place there may be widespread shock at a video exhibiting the participant attacking his pet at his £2million Essex residence.
It led to attorneys working for the 30 Million Associates Basis (La Fondation 30 Hundreds of thousands d'Amis), the biggest animal rights group in France, contacting prosecutors.
A spokesman for the Basis mentioned: 'We condemn this heinous act, have requested that the participant be suspended from the France workforce, and filed a authorized criticism in opposition to him.'
Based on article 113-6 of the French Penal Code, a French citizen may be prosecuted for legal acts carried out overseas.
Robust new animal safety legal guidelines have been launched in France in 2021, that means that the 'mistreatment of animals' is now punishable by as much as 4 years in jail and a positive equal to £50,000.
Aggravated elements in any legal prosecution included acts of violence being dedicated in entrance of different folks, or if the animal belongs to the attacker.
'Within the case of Kurt Zouma, the video seems to indicate aggravating details, so he may very well be in very severe bother,' mentioned one other supply near the case.
Senior French politicians have additionally condemned Zouma, who's from the jap metropolis of Lyon, and referred to as him to be kicked out of France's nationwide workforce.
Muriel Fusi, spokesperson for the French Animal occasion, mentioned: 'Many individuals on social networks are outraged by the video. Many individuals declare that this soccer participant can not put on the colors of France'.
And Marine Le Pen, the chief of the Nationwide Rally occasion and a presidential candidate, mentioned: 'It is shameful. I nonetheless suppose that those that are able to cruelty to animals are additionally able to cruelty in the direction of males. Violence isn't trivial.'
It got here as Gary Lineker this morning slammed West Ham for taking part in Zouma, branding supervisor David Moyes' choice as 'tone deaf'.
He was booed each time he touched the ball in opposition to Watford within the incendiary London Stadium conflict.
Moyes was pressured to defend his workforce choice by saying he needed to decide the very best beginning 11 after the video scandal.
However Lineker mentioned at present: 'Shocked and appalled that West Ham performed Zouma final night time. A tone deaf choice.'
His ideas have been echoed by Becky Thwaites, Head of Public Affairs at nationwide pet charity Blue Cross, mentioned: 'We have been very dissatisfied to see West Ham make the choice to play Kurt Zouma final night time. In our view it normalises his abhorrent behaviour and delivers the message it is acceptable to deal with a household pet that means.
'It gives the look to younger soccer followers watching final night time that it would not matter what he did to his cat, all that's necessary is soccer.'
West Ham's assertion on Kurt Zouma in full:
It got here as he was dropped as an envoy for a charity - which has helped massive cats - and run by his spouse Sandra.
The participant had been featured on Seed's supporters' web page, however after the scandal broke was not seen on the positioning.
Seed, which helps a lot of good causes and was arrange by wives and girlfriends of French gamers, declined to remark when quizzed about him by MailOnline.
Beforehand it had raised 20,000 euros to create a brand new shelter for the large beasts.
Zouma was caught on video kicking and slapping his pet cat and heard laughing as he did it in his £2million Essex residence.
Though the membership dressed down the participant, who reportedly earns £120,000-a-week, they nonetheless named him of their beginning lineup in opposition to Watford on Tuesday night.
At any time when he was tackled rival followers jeered 'Now you understand how your cat feels'.
This morning questions mounted on the choice and the silence of co-chairman David Gold and vice-chair Karren Brady over the matter.
Whereas a membership assertion has condemned the matter, each are prolific tweeters however have stayed quiet on-line on it thus far.
'Sack Zouma's brother,' say Dagenham followers
A petition calling for the RSPCA to take motion in opposition to the French worldwide launched yesterday has already been signed greater than 95,000 instances.
TV presenter and wildlife conservationist Chris Packham mentioned: 'The rancid stench of vanity and no accountability is choking our lives and the London Stadium reeks of it.
'There sport , as soon as held as a paragon of equity and excellence , is blighted by greed and a wholesale disregard for our most treasured primary values.
'They gave him a pedestal to proclaim his pathetic apology . However they did not 'lose the dressing room' tonight, they misplaced the group.
'Us, who is not going to tolerate cruelty, is not going to be distracted by the glamour and movie star of soccer , however who will essentially pursue justice and proper this improper.
'This was not an exquisite sport , this was an unpleasant shame and while he has had his night time on the pitch , I hope he has his day in courtroom.'
Moyes mentioned after the match: 'I understand how folks really feel, however I am additionally a soccer supervisor right here.
'My feeling was that Kurt has apologised and I perceive lots of people is not going to simply be accepting of an apology. However to me he got here out and [apologised] truthfully and I needed to do my job.'
Customers on social media expressed their disgust that the defender was named in West Ham's workforce.
Zouma obtained the final contact within the match, which completed 1-0 to West Ham.
The discharge of the movies sparked requires West Ham to sack the star, together with by BBC presenter Gabby Logan, who posted on Twitter: 'I feel I'd most likely do away with a participant who kicked and hit an animal for 'laughs' in his kitchen. All in entrance of his little one.'
Different celebrities joined followers and cat lovers on social media in mocking the London membership and their star defender.
Soccer Saturday anchor Jeff Stelling sarcastically mentioned: 'That is definitely taught Zouma a lesson @WestHam. He have to be repentant now having suffered for thus lengthy earlier than he wears the membership's shirt once more.'
In the meantime, Match of the Day commentator Ian Wright labelled Zouma a 'coward'.
The star apologised yesterday after being given a telling off by West Ham bosses over a surprising video exhibiting him kicking and slapping his pet Bengal cat.
In a grovelling assertion, the 27-year-old, who solely joined the east London membership from Chelsea in a £29.8million deal in the summertime, mentioned he was 'deeply sorry' over the incident and insisted his cats have been 'cherished and cherished'.
The apology comes as his membership facet issued their very own assertion, through which they 'unreservedly condemned' the defender's actions.
But the footballer isn't but off the hook and is going through a joint police and RSPCA animal cruelty investigation.
Initially the Met Police mentioned they might not examine the incident, earlier than Surrey Police mentioned they might look into the matter. Nevertheless, it later emerged the assault was filmed within the millionaire's new £2million Essex residence.
Essex police mentioned: 'We're conscious of a video circulating on social media referring to an incident involving a cat which members of our communities could discover distressing.
'Now we have just lately been made conscious that this incident could have taken place in Essex and we're liaising with the RSPCA and pressing enquiries are ongoing.'
The RSPCA, which has the ability to prosecute in animal welfare instances, mentioned it was 'conscious' of the 'very upsetting footage'.
If Zouma was discovered to be responsible of animal cruelty he might resist 5 years in jail and a vast positive.
Why would the RSPCA examine as a substitute of the police?
Social media customers took to Twitter yesterday to place stress on the RSPCA and police to analyze.
The RSPCA mentioned it had acquired 'a lot of messages on social media' and different channels concerning the video, which was taken on Sunday - the day after Zouma appeared for the membership of their FA Cup victory over non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
RSPCA bosses urged folks solely to return ahead to them if they'd 'first hand data' concerning the incident.
Addressing the video in a press release yesterday, the West Ham defender mentioned: 'I wish to apologise for my actions.
'There are not any excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely remorse. I additionally wish to say how deeply sorry I'm to anybody who was upset by the video.
'I wish to guarantee everybody that our two cats are completely positive and wholesome.
'They're cherished and cherished by our total household, and this behaviour was an remoted incident that won't occur once more.'
Zouma was mentioned to have been angered after the cat induced a large number inside his home.
West Ham have mentioned the membership will 'take care of the matter internally'. In a brief assertion, the Premier League membership mentioned: 'West Ham United unreservedly condemn the actions of Kurt Zouma within the video that has circulated.
'Now we have spoken to Kurt and can be coping with the matter internally, however we wish to make it clear that we under no circumstances condone cruelty in the direction of animals.'
Social media customers flooded Twitter with complaints concerning the video, urging the RSPCA to take motion.
Susan Corridor, a Conservative London Meeting Member, copying in each Kurt Zouma and the RSPCA, added: 'Kurt Zouma ought to by no means be allowed to personal an animal once more. Disgusting, unforgivable behaviour.'
In the meantime, a petition calling on the RSPCA to take motion has now been launched. The Change.Org petition has already been signed greater than 50,000 time
A spokesperson for the RSPCA mentioned: 'This can be a very upsetting video. It is by no means acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal, for punishment or in any other case.
'We're so grateful to individuals who report suspected animal struggling to us and we wish to reassure folks we'll at all times look into and, if mandatory, examine any complaints made to us about animal welfare.'
The spokesperson added: 'Now we have acquired a lot of messages on social media and our different channels, so we're urging folks to solely contact our nationwide cruelty line (0300 1234 999) if they've new or first-hand data.'
The surprising footage is believed to have been filmed by Zouma's brother Yoan, and exhibits Zouma dropping the cat earlier than kicking it throughout the kitchen ground.
He additionally chases the cat across the kitchen and eating room in entrance of a kid, all whereas the particular person capturing the video laughs hysterically.
A separate clip, obtained by The Solar, additionally exhibits the French worldwide throwing a pair of footwear on the cat earlier than slapping it out of a kid's arms.
The primary of the clips was captioned with 'sa start', which translated to 'it's beginning'.
A second clip was captioned with a sequence of laughing emojis.
Zouma's brother is presently signed with Nationwide League facet Dagenham & Redbridge FC, who additionally condemned their star's actions in a press release.
In a press release issued on their web site, membership bosses mentioned: 'Since first turning into conscious of the incident this morning the membership has had discussions with Yoan and we'll now take a while to think about our response, which we'll after all make public sooner or later.
'Nevertheless, within the meantime we wish to make it fully clear that we under no circumstances condone any type of cruelty in the direction of animals and take this matter very significantly.
In a press release points via the membership's web site, Yoan Zouma mentioned: 'I deeply remorse my involvement within the video that has been extensively circulated and unreservedly apologise, not just for my actions, however for the upset and misery this may have induced to so many individuals.
'I'm now taking time to replicate on what I've accomplished however want to guarantee everybody that this was an remoted incident and never one thing that I'm happy with.'
Chris Kirkland, a former Liverpool and England goalkeeper, additionally referred to as for Zouma's sacking however was pressured to retract earlier feedback after he mentioned the incident was 'worse than racism'.
He informed talkSPORT: 'Kurt Zouma has obtained to be sacked. If I used to be West Ham captain, I would wish to get Zouma out of the dressing room.'
And discussing the video later with the BBC, the previous England keeper mentioned: 'In every single place they go now and in every single place he [Zouma] goes, he'll be focused and rightfully in order effectively as a result of he deserves every part he'll get.
'I am nonetheless in disbelief that West Ham performed him final night time, I believed that was disgraceful however once more, if it was a racism case, the FA have acted, stepped in and banned gamers for six to 10 video games, preventing six to 10 video games.
'That is worse if something, what's the distinction?'
Kirkland later added that he had solely meant to say that defenceless animals had no means of hitting again at their abusers.
Taking to Twitter after attracting fury along with his feedback, he defined: 'Clearly I discussed racism and about if gamers have been banned earlier than - I do know I mentioned that it is presumably worse and that however what I meant was animals cannot defend themselves, they've not obtained a voice.
'Clearly people have however pay attention, racism goes with out saying it is an absolute shame and anybody who does that ought to be locked up, folks know the way I really feel about that I haven't got to say that.
'However yeah, it was simply within the context that animals cannot defend themselves, they've not obtained a voice, I meant in that means not clearly the opposite means so hope that clears it up and yeah, take care everyone.'
The row comes simply months after jail sentences for animal cruelty have been raised by the Authorities.
In June final yr, the utmost jail sentence for animal cruelty, which incorporates the abuse of cats, rose from six months to 5 years. Offenders may also obtain a vast positive.
Enroll the pitch invader! A curious CAT runs around the gamers after working onto the pitch at Hillsborough throughout Sheffield Wednesday's victory over Wigan - and is then carried off as followers cheer
A cat disrupted an important a part of Sheffield Wednesday's win over Wigan Athletic - however was safely gathered up in an act worlds away from Zouma's kick.
Wigan have been chasing a 1-0 scoreline within the 94th minute when the feline entered the sphere of play, thereby halting the Latics' momentum as they chased a late equaliser.
However Wigan substitute Jason Kerr spent the ultimate jiffy chasing the cat across the pitch as a substitute, however it confirmed a fantastic flip of tempo to evade the defender's problem earlier than he ultimately handed the animal to a Wednesday workers member.
The animal was pictured within the arms of what appears to be like like a Sheffield Wednesday fan, with the membership saying after the match that the cat left Hillsborough 'secure and sound.'
The followers inside Hillsborough cheered in unison when the cat was ultimately picked up by Kerr and faraway from play, which allowed the ultimate two minutes of the sport to go forward.
However Wigan appeared to endure from black cat superstition as they have been unable to search out the equaliser wanted to spice up their League One promotion push. Barry Bannan scored a second-half penalty to earn the victory for the hosts.
The 1-0 defeat leaves the Latics in second-place, however leaders Rotherham opened up a 9 level lead on the prime of the third tier because of their 1-0 win at AFC Wimbledon.
Wigan do have three video games in hand over Rotherham to make up the factors however can be involved by a run of three video games with out a win. Maybe this black cat is symbolic of Wigan's poor type of late.
Disruptive pitch invaders have frustratingly turn into commonplace in soccer over the previous few weeks, however an exception may be made for this little troublemaker.
