Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur has received a seven-match domestic ban from the Football Association (FA) due to an alleged racist remark made about teammate Son Heung-min during a television interview.
The FA charged Bentancur in September for a breach of its rules linked to the interview he gave while in Uruguay.
The 27-year-old midfielder, previously with Juventus, has also been fined £100,000 ($126,000). During the June interview, he responded to a question about obtaining a Spurs player’s shirt by saying, "Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same."
Bentancur apologized to Son, but the incident was classified as an “aggravated breach,” which required an independent regulatory commission to review the case. The panel upheld the charge, leading to Bentancur sitting out Tottenham's next seven domestic matches, though he remains eligible for Europa League games against Roma and Rangers.
The FA stated that the incident was considered an “aggravated breach” due to its reference to nationality, race, or ethnic origin. While Bentancur denied the allegations, the commission found him guilty after a hearing.
Son, in late September, mentioned that Bentancur had apologized shortly after the incident, noting that the apology felt sincere and heartfelt.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou indicated that Bentancur recognized his mistake and requested leniency. Bentancur is set to miss significant fixtures, including matches against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool, as well as a League Cup quarter-final against Manchester United. This season, he has appeared 15 times for Tottenham, contributing one goal.
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