Tottenham suspends Yves Bissouma for laughing gas video

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Tottenham Hotspur suspended midfielder Yves Bissouma from Monday's match against Leicester City after he posted a social media video of himself inhaling laughing gas, manager Ange Postecoglou told reporters Thursday.

"I've been in the game for a long time and every time situations like this arise, I've always tried to look at them in a couple of different ways," Postecoglou said. "One is, there is a person involved, in this case its Yves, and he's made a really poor decision.

"You want to understand that and want to try and help him through that. And as a club, do what we can do to make sure he doesn't make those kind of choices and decisions in the future."

Bissouma posted the video on Snapchat. He apologized for the incident earlier this week.

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a Class C drug in the United Kingdom, and recreational use is a criminal offense. It is said to make people feel less inhibited.

It is unclear if Bissouma will face criminal charges. The offense carries a potential punishment of two years in prison in the U,K.

"I want to apologize for this video," Bissouma said. "It is a serious lapse in my judgment. I understand the seriousness of the situation and the health risks involved, and I also take my responsibility as a footballer and role model very seriously."

Spurs will face Leicester City in their Premier League season opener at 3 p.m. EDT Monday at King Power Stadium in Leicester, England.

"He won't be available for Monday," Postecoglou said. "We've suspended him from Monday's game. Beyond that, there's some trust building that has to happen between Biss and me and Biss and the group.

"That's what he needs to work hard at from now on, to win that back. That's got nothing to do with one game. He may be suspended for one game, but he has to earn that.

"The door is open for him, and hopefully we can help him to realize that the decisions he makes impact more than just him and allow him to make better decisions moving forward."

Bissouma, 27, left Brighton for Spurs in 2022. He also played with Lille of France's Ligue 1 and Malian club Real Bamako. He has made 37 senior-level appearances for the Mali men's national team.

Spurs will host Everton in their second Premier League match at 10 a.m. Saturday in London.