Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Yves Bissouma has been suspended for Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League opener after footage emerged of the midfielder inhaling laughing gas.
In the United Kingdom, possessing nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, for recreational use became a criminal offence in 2023, with repeat offenders facing up to two years in prison.
Bissouma, who joined the Lilywhites from Brighton & Hove Albion for £30m in 2022, played 45 minutes in Spurs' friendly loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday afternoon.
Following the pre-season match, the 27-year-old midfielder posted a video on social media showing himself inhaling nitrous oxide from an inflated balloon.
The footage, obtained by The Sun, was released just one week before Tottenham's opening game of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
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Postecoglou confirms Bissouma suspension
In an interview with the media on Wednesday, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou confirmed that the 27-year-old would miss the opening day of the season against newly-promoted Leicester City as a punishment, and indicated that his trust in the player has been broken.
"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.
"There are still sanctions involved, and some of those are educational. He is a footballer with responsibilities. He won't be available on Monday.
"We've suspended him from Monday's game. He needs to build that trust back with both me and the group. The door is open for him and we can help him realise the decisions he makes impact the group."
Shortly after the video surfaced, Bissouma issued a statement apologising for his actions.
He said: "I want to apologise for these videos. This was a severe lack of judgement. "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."
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What next for Yves Bissouma?
When asked how Bissouma could regain his trust, Postecoglou responded: "Behaviour, mate, it's that simple. It's about making better decisions.
"He was very apologetic to me, the club and everyone involved but that's just part of it. We all make mistakes. It is how we make our way back from those mistakes."
Undoubtedly, the incident is a significant setback for Spurs ahead of their Premier League season opener away at Leicester on Monday night.
Bissouma was one of the standout performers for the Lilywhites in pre-season, notably scoring a superb solo goal in their 2-0 victory over QPR at Loftus Road.
The former Brighton player regained his best form under Postecoglou last season, proving to be a key figure in midfield where he made 28 appearances in the top flight.
Devesh Jaganath
