Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been suspended for seven domestic matches and fined approximately $126,000 (£100,000) for making a controversial comment about teammate Son Heung-min during an interview.
The English Football Association (FA) released a report on Monday detailing the incident, which occurred during an interview with Uruguayan journalist Rafa Cotelo. Bentancur remarked that Son, a South Korean international, and his cousins “all look more or less the same.” The interview was later uploaded to Cotelo’s YouTube channel as part of a 45-minute video.
The FA concluded that Bentancur’s comments were improper and in violation of FA rules. They were deemed an “aggravated breach” because they referenced Son’s ethnicity, which is prohibited under the organization’s anti-discrimination regulations.
Earlier this year, Bentancur apologized via Instagram, describing the situation as “an unfortunate misunderstanding.” He assured fans that the matter had been resolved between himself and Son, referring to his teammate as a “friend.” He added, “If anyone felt offended by my words, I offer my sincere apologies. It was never my intention to offend anyone, directly or indirectly.”
Son addressed the issue in June, acknowledging Bentancur’s apology and calling it a “mistake.” The forward emphasized that the two remain close, stating, “We are brothers, and nothing has changed.”
Tottenham Hotspur expressed full support for Son and confirmed plans to provide additional diversity and inclusion training for players in alignment with the club’s values.
Bentancur’s suspension begins this Saturday when Tottenham faces Manchester City. He will be eligible to return to domestic matches on December 26 against Nottingham Forest but can continue participating in Europa League fixtures during his suspension.
The 27-year-old midfielder has played 14 games for Tottenham this season, scoring once in a 2-1 loss to Ipswich on November 10.
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