The Independent Regulatory Commission has disclosed that West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus expressed deep embarrassment following his dismissal in the team’s 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Kudus’ clash with Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven in the 82nd minute ignited a scuffle between players from both teams, with van de Ven alleging that Kudus “punched him in the face.” Kudus also appeared to shove Pape Matar Sarr.
Initially issued a yellow card by referee Andy Madley, Kudus’ offense was upgraded to a red card for violent conduct following a VAR review, triggering an automatic three-game suspension.
The Football Association later added a further two-match suspension and imposed a £60,000 fine.
As a result of his ban, Kudus missed games against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, with his suspension set to conclude this weekend as West Ham prepares to face Everton.
According to the Independent Regulatory Commission’s report, Kudus expressed regret, admitting he felt “deeply embarrassed” by the incident and accepted the charges against him.
“MK [Mohammed Kudus] began his letter by apologizing, stating that he was deeply embarrassed by his behavior in the 20 seconds following his foul on Micky van de Ven.
He accepted that he had lost his cool and said that his behavior was out of character.
He stated that he could not recall the events clearly, but after viewing the footage, he felt that MvdV [Micky van de Ven] had exaggerated the incident as there was minimal contact from him. He accepted that he should not have pushed PS [Pape Sarr] in the face and that his action merited a red card. However, he did not injure anyone or use force.
MK [Mohammed Kudus] stated that his preparation for the match had been mentally and physically challenging because he had traveled for a midweek international fixture and had received various negative comments on social media. He referred to his work within the community and in his home country of Ghana, stressing how he tried to be a role model.”
Kudus is now expected to rejoin the Ghanaian national team later this weekend as they gear up for the final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Angola and Niger later this month.
READ ALSO