Statement from John Murphy, MD, Quattro Group

Over the past couple of days people have been asking us at Quattro, almost constantly, two things:

1. Do we endorse Kurt Zouma’s explicit animal abuse?
2. Should our corporate partnership with West Ham be severed as a result of his shocking behaviour?
    

Let me answer those for you.

1.  All of us at Quattro are animal lovers, including myself, I have two dogs. To see the horror of what Kurt Zouma did to his poor cat is beyond atrocious.  Animals are on this earth not to be tortured, but to be loved and protected.  There is no reason that can ever justify the harm of an innocent creature, so the answer to question 1 is a very firm, unshiftable, insurmountable NO.
   Under no circumstances would we condone animal abuse of any kind, ever.  We agree with the actions of the RSPCA in removal of his cats and support the petition for a police investigation.
    
2. We have been associated with West Ham at the London Stadium since 2016.  We have been supporters for many years before that, from the Boleyn days, since 2010.  They are our local team, a stone’s throw away from Stratford HQ.  We have shared many great games together and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with that.  We support the club!  The anger around Kurt Zouma’s behaviour is completely valid and justified, of that there is no question; but before the world takes the guillotine to our contract let us first ask you this in return –
    

• What about the other players, including those coming up through the academy?
• What about the club?
• What about the fans, the ground, the history?
   

One player’s behaviour off the pitch, as abhorrent as it is, does not determine a whole club, nor it’s people, nor it’s fans, nor the staff at the bar or the burger stand, the linesmen, the ref or the other players, nor indeed the sponsors.  History has shown us that people do terrible things, but not every single person associated with them and beyond can be responsible for that, and nor should they be.

Let the punishment rest with the player, who committed an unforgivable act.  We will be staying in close contact with the club on their decisions.

Quattro partners with West Ham United, not Kurt Zouma.

John Murphy
Managing Director
Quattro
February 10th 2022