West Ham ace Michail Antonio hits back at media regarding Kurt Zouma situation
West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has hit back at the media after he was questioned about Kurt Zouma’s punishment over a recent social media video.
The French defender was taped kicking and slapping his pet cat in his apartment and has since had the animals taken away from him by the RSPCA.
The Hammers fined the 27-year-old two weeks wages which equates to roughly £250,000 but some portions of the media believe that isn’t enough.
He was approached by a Sky Sports News reporter while in his car for a statement regarding the situation but he turned the tables, asking a poignant question of his own.
“I’ve got a question for you. So, do you think what he’s done is worse than racism?” Antonio said.
“I’m not condoning a thing that he’s done, I don’t agree with what he’s done, at all.
“But there’s people that are convicted, been caught for racism, and have played football afterwards.
“They got punished, they got eight-game punishments or something like that, but people are now calling for people to be sacked, for them to lose their livelihood.
“I’ve just got to ask this question to everyone out there – is what he’s done worse than what the people have done that are convicted for racism?”
Are they comparable?
Racism and animal cruelty are very different things and the same punishment are possibly not applicable here.
It isn’t just the act that has incensed the public, but the fact that he appears to be laughing as he does it like it is a joke to him.
It would be wrong to sack him and see him lose his livelihood for this but stronger punishment may be needed.
Whether that is a prison sentence or a long suspension from playing, that’s for the FA to decide but just the two weeks of wages isn’t enough for a millionaire.
Antonio is absolutely right when he says that racism has been treated less in football but that is changing with every reported incident.
It shouldn’t be the end of a person’s career if they make one major mistake, but they need to be educated when they make them.
In other West Ham news, Dr Dan has made a big GSB claim amid fury from supporters.