Rodrigo Bentancur has been suspended for seven matches and fined £100,000 by the Football Association after making a racist comment about his Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min.
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The incident, which occurred during a June interview on Uruguayan television, involved Bentancur suggesting that people from South Korea “looked the same.”
Bentancur immediately apologized for the remark, calling it “a very bad joke.” Son, who also captains the South Korean national team, accepted his teammate’s apology, emphasizing their strong bond and describing them as “brothers.”
On Monday, the FA released a statement confirming the sanctions against Bentancur. It stated that the midfielder had breached Rule E3.1 by using “abusive and/or insulting words” and bringing the game into disrepute.
The incident was categorized as an “aggravated breach” under Rule E3.2 because it included a reference to nationality, race, or ethnic origin.
Bentancur denied the charges, but an independent Regulatory Commission found him guilty and imposed the punishment after a hearing.
The controversy stemmed from Bentancur’s appearance on the Uruguayan television program Por La Camiseta. During the interview, reporter Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur about Son’s football shirts, leading to an exchange where the midfielder joked that “all of Sonny’s cousins look the same.”
The comment quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism. Despite the backlash, Son defended Bentancur, stating, “He made a mistake, he knows this, and he has apologized. Nothing has changed between us.”
The suspension is a significant blow for Tottenham, who are already navigating a challenging Premier League season. More updates on the situation are expected to follow.
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