The backlash over Kurt Zouma's cruelty to his pet cat intensified on Wednesday when Adidas dumped him, and sponsors withdrew support from West Ham because of their weak response to his behaviour.
Zouma was hit with the maximum fine of two weeks' wages by his club — £250,000, which will be donated to animal welfare charities — after a video showed him kicking and slapping the cat.
Sportswear giant Adidas followed that by cancelling their contract with the 27-year-old Frenchman which was understood to be worth £100,000 a year.
Yet West Ham are also counting the cost of their controversial decision to stick by their man and start Zouma in Tuesday night's match against Watford, with life insurance company Vitality suspending their £500,000-a-year sponsorship.