Tottenham’s Bentancur Banned for Racist Remark
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-match domestic ban by the Football Association (FA) for an alleged racist remark made about teammate Son Heung-min. The incident occurred during a TV interview in Uruguay in June, where Bentancur was asked for a Spurs player’s shirt. He responded by saying, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
The FA charged Bentancur in September with an alleged breach of its rules, and an independent regulatory commission panel upheld the charge after a hearing. The panel deemed the incident an “aggravated breach” due to its reference to nationality, race, or ethnic origin.
Bentancur has apologized to Son, who accepted his apology. Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou stated that Bentancur acknowledged his mistake and pleaded for leniency. However, the commission imposed a seven-match ban, which will see Bentancur miss Tottenham’s next seven domestic fixtures.
The ban includes Premier League matches against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool, as well as the League Cup quarter-final against Manchester United. Bentancur will be eligible to play in Europa League matches against Roma and Rangers.
The FA emphasized that the incident constituted an “aggravated breach” and that Bentancur’s denial of the charge was not accepted by the commission. The Uruguayan has played 15 times for Tottenham this season, scoring one goal. He will not return to domestic action until December 26.