Premier League: Tottenham suspend Bissouma for opener after nitrous oxide incident

Leicester: Tottenham Hotspur has suspended midfielder Yves Bissouma from their Premier League opener against Leicester City on August 20, following the release of a video in which he was seen inhaling Nitrous Oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. The incident has led to significant backlash, prompting Tottenham's manager, Ange Postecoglou, to take decisive action against the player.

“We’ve suspended Bissouma from Monday’s game. He needs to build that trust back with both me and the group. The door is open for him, but the behaviour is crucial,” Postecoglou stated during a press conference on Thursday.

The controversy began when Bissouma posted a video on social media on August 10, showing him inhaling from a balloon containing the Class C drug.

Nitrous Oxide possession for recreational use became a criminal offence in Britain in 2023 under the Government’s anti-social behaviour action plan, with potential penalties including a prison sentence. The video sparked outrage, leading to his suspension and an apology from the player.

“I want to apologise for these videos. This was a severe lack of judgment,” Bissouma said in a statement on Monday. “I understand how serious this is and the health risks involved, and I also take my responsibility as a footballer and role model very seriously.”

Postecoglou, who has been in the game for a long time, acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “(I have) been in the game for a long time, when a situation like this arises, I’ve tried to look at them in a couple of ways. First, there’s a person and it’s Biss and he’s made a poor decision,” the Tottenham manager said, adding that sanctions against Bissouma will include educational measures.

Bissouma joined Tottenham from Brighton in 2022 and has since made 56 appearances for the club, including 26 starts during the 2023-24 season. He was part of Tottenham’s final pre-season match against Bayern Munich on August 10, where he played for 45 minutes in a 3-2 loss to the German side.