Kurt Zouma’s shocking video of him kicking his cat is played down by Olivier Dacourt

Kurt Zouma’s shocking animal abuse of him kicking his cat has been played down by former Premier League star Olivier Dacourt. 

The video which emerged last week of the West Ham defender kicking and throwing his cat has been widely condemned and has shocked the world of football. 

West Ham intend to wait for the investigation into Zouma’s action to be completed before donating his maximum fine of £250,000 to animal charities – but ex-Leeds, Everton and Fulham player Dacourt insists Zouma’s actions should be put into perspective.  

Kurt Zouma’s animal abuse of him kicking his cat has been played down by Olivier Dacourt 

‘I don’t want to defend what he did because it’s undefendable,’ he explained to Canal+.

‘But at the same time, it’s a cat. He’s been condemned, he’s paid a fine, he’s lost his sponsors. He hasn’t killed anyone.

‘He made a mistake, he paid for it but now he should continue to play football.

‘I don’t see so many people on social media defending wives or children who have been abused, or racist discrimination.’

The RSPCA have stepped in to seize his cats, while West Ham manager David Moyes has called for ‘forgiveness’ for the 27-year-old defender. 

Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness, however, claimed that Zouma shouldn’t play again this season. 

Zouma has been widely condemned after a video emerged of him last week kicking his cat 

Aside from the social media backlash, Zouma has so far been punished by paying the ‘maximum possible fine’ by West Ham, believed to be two weeks’ wages. 

Souness said: ‘I’ve got zero sympathy for him. The vast majority of West Ham fans would not be accepting of him. For me if you’re looking at that video the cat hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s abuse for entertainment. 

‘They decide to put it on social media. The fact that they put it on social media suggests they didn’t think anything was wrong with the behaviour.’