West Ham United’s Ghanaian star, Mohammed Kudus, has expressed deep regret after the Football Association (FA) extended his suspension by two more games following his red card in last month’s Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur.
Initially handed a three-match ban for violent conduct and unsporting behavior during the heated match, Kudus’ suspension was lengthened after further investigation.
The incident occurred in the 82nd minute of the match, following a foul by Kudus on Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven.
This sparked a confrontation between the two teams, with Van de Ven accusing Kudus of “punching him in the face” and Pape Matar Sarr also shoved by the West Ham player.
Although Kudus received a yellow card for the foul, the decision was later overturned to a red following a VAR review, leading to an automatic three-match suspension.
After further scrutiny, the FA added two more games to the ban and fined him £60,000.
In a statement submitted to the regulatory commission, Kudus admitted he was “deeply embarrassed” by his actions, acknowledging the charge and describing his behavior as “out of character.”
While he did not recall the full details of the incident, he noted that video footage showed only minimal contact with Van de Ven.
Kudus also cited personal and professional challenges leading up to the match, including negative social media comments and a recent international trip.
As a result of the ban, Kudus has already missed West Ham’s fixtures against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, and will sit out their upcoming match against Everton.
