On February 8, a video of West Ham defender Zuma abusing a cat went viral on the Internet, and even though the player himself had apologized and assured the cat that he was in good health, he still could not prevent the incident from fermenting further. At present, some sponsors have terminated their cooperation with West Ham, and Zuma himself has been fined about 250,000 pounds for 2 weeks in prison and may face up to 4 years in prison.
On the 8th, the Sun took the lead in publishing a video of Zuma abusing cats. In less than 40 seconds of video, the cat is thrown to the ground and kicked by Zuma like a leather ball. In another video, Zuma throws an object at a cat and, after catching up with it, slaps the cat in the face.
Zuma's cat abuse has been heavily condemned. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blahović recently said there was a way to let Zuma kick it herself. "If you think you're fierce, come kick me and have zero tolerance for animal cruelty." Blahović said.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also criticized Zuma's actions in an interview with the London Football Network. "Zuma's behavior is very despicable, and I think the parties concerned should join forces with the police to file a lawsuit against him." Sadiq-Khan said.
After the incident fermented, Zuma apologized to the outside world: "I would like to apologize to those who were offended by this video, and I also want to assure you that the two cats in our family are very good and very healthy." At the same time, Zuma said that similar incidents will not happen again.
However, Zuma's apology pales slightly. He will face a full range of punishments at the economic level, career level, and even judicial level.
After the cat abuse was exposed, Zuma still appeared in West Ham's starting list, which was met with a massive resistance from fans. Coach Moyes explained that although he is also an animal lover, as a manager, he is responsible for the competitive level of work, and his job is to make a good lineup as much as possible.
West Ham officials then issued a statement that Zuma was fined 2 weeks' salary (about £250,000) and that the fine would all be donated to animal charity. In addition, the club is supporting the Animal Protection Association in its investigation into Zuma's cat abuse. The players themselves are fully cooperating and feel extremely remorseful for their actions.
Zuma's actions also affected West Ham. Former West Ham sponsor VITALITY does not seem to approve of the club's handling. They issued an official statement expressing great disappointment at the club's subsequent judgment on the incident and announcing the suspension of their partnership with West Ham. In addition, another sponsor, Kissimmeme, is considering halting its partnership with West Ham.
In addition, Zuma may face imprisonment. According to the latest news, more than 150,000 people have signed a petition calling for an official prosecution of Zuma for the abuse of cats. At present, the local police are investigating.
According to the Post, France introduced a harsh animal protection law in 2021, and animal cruelty can be punishable by up to 4 years in prison and a fine of nearly 50,000 pounds.
The good news is that the cats, who are currently abused by Zuma, have a new home. The property protection group RSPCA said the cats had been adopted and protected by them. "At the moment this cat is safe and under our care."