Ian Wright labels Kurt Zouma “a coward” following attack on cat

Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright has spoken out after footage of West Ham United’s French defender Kurt Zouma kicking his pet cat was shared online

Pundit Ian Wright is the latest football figure to condemn West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma after the Frenchman was filmed kicking his pet cat.

Zouma’s club issued a statement condemning the actions, while there have also been statements from animal charities calling out the 27-year-old’s behaviour.

The player has issued an apology, in which he described the action as an “isolated incident” and admitting there are “no excuses” for what he did, and he is not expected to face any charges from the Metropolitan Police in the aftermath.

The footage obtained by The Sun has led to widespread condemnation, with Ally McCoist and Laura Woods criticising Zouma on talkSPORT, and now former West Ham striker Wright has added his voice to those commenting on the footage.

“What sort of person are you when you do that to begin with,” presenter Woods asked.

“And secondly, what sort of person are you when you know you’re being filmed, you think it’s funny to perform and then you … probably know it’s going to go out on social media.”

Wright’s verdict was simple, with the 58-year-old sharing Woods’ questions about Zouma with the caption “A coward!!!!”

“I want to apologise for my actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret,” Zouma told The Sun.

“I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video. I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy.

“They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.”

“West Ham United unreservedly condemns the actions of our player, Kurt Zouma, in the video that has circulated,” a statement from the London club read.

“We have spoken to Kurt and will be dealing with the matter internally, but we would like to make it clear that we in no way condone cruelty towards animals.”

Charity the RSPCA have also responded regarding the matter, with a spokesperson saying “This is a very upsetting video. It’s never acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal, for punishment or otherwise.”

“We’ve had lots of messages regarding an upsetting video of a cat and would like to reassure people we’re aware of it,” a further tweet from the charity read.

“We will always look into any complaints made about animal welfare but we can’t comment on individual matters for legal reasons.”

Zouma was one of West Ham’s highest-profile summer signings, joining from Chelsea in a deal worth a reported £30m, and has played 12 times in the Premier League after missing a number of games through injury.

The former Saint-Etienne player also has 11 caps for the French national team, the most recent of which came against Finland in the November international break.