Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma will begin his 2024-25 Premier League campaign on a bad note following a scandalous report.
The Malian footballer has been suspended from Tottenham Hotspur after he filmed himself inhaling laughing gas.
According to the Mail, the 24-year-old slipped into trouble with the North London side after footage of him using the psychoactive substance went viral on Snapchat.
He has been suspended from the team and will not be part of the squad that will take on Leicester City in the 2024-25 opening Premier League fixure on Monday, August 19, 2024.
Speaking ahead of the Leicester City matchup, the club’s manager, Ange Postecoglou, confirmed Bissouma will not be available for the game due to the incident.
While the Aussie bloke did not mention the incident, he alluded to it, saying that the player has an issue to settle with him and the team.
“There’s some trust building to do between Biss & me and Biss and the group,” Postecoglou says as quoted by Evening Standard.
The suspension is a slight setback to Yves Bissouma, who has been crucial to Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham setup since the former Celtic boss switched to the white side of London last season as new manager.
He featured in almost all of the club’s pre-season matches and was expected to start against the Foxes before the laughing gas incident.
Yves Bissouma reacts to the laughing gas incident
Details of the report revealed that Bissouma was in the company of his friends when he lost control and used the substance. They were reportedly heading to a nightclub in London to wile away the short break after pre-season.
After footage of the incident went viral, Marca reported that he had tendered an apology, submitting that he had made a mistake due to a serious lapse in judgment.
“I want to apologize for these videos,” Bissouma stated. This was a serious lapse in judgment. I understand the risks involved, and I take my responsibilities as a footballer and role model very seriously,” he said.
However, his apology came late as Tottenham had decided to ban him from the team ahead of the Leicester City match.
And that is not all. According to the BBC, Yves Bissouma could face prosecution by UK authorities for substance abuse. Note that the use of laughing gas in the UK was prohibited in 2023 following reports of the harmful effects of the substance.
Yves Bissouma is not the only footballer who has been caught in the laughing gas incident. In 2013, Manchester City star Kyle Walker inhaled the substance.
Chelsea star, Raheem Sterling also took it while he was at Liverpool and was sanctioned by then-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. Also, Dele Alli was caught up in the scandal recently amidst his dwindling career fortunes.
What is Laughing Gas?
Laughing Gas, also known as “hippy crack,” is a psychoactive chemical substance made up of Nitrogen and Oxygen. It is typically inhaled from balloons filled with the gas, which is stored in small canisters.
What are the effects of Laughing Gas?
Laughing Gas is known for its intoxicating effects on users like other psychoactive substances. According to reports, it is dangerous and can cause heart problems, stroke, brain damage, and death in extreme cases.
Is Laughing Gas illegal in the UK?
Laughing Gas is a banned substance in the UK. Possession and use of it is an offense punishable by law.
