Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-match suspension following an alleged racist comment about his teammate Son Heung-min during a television interview earlier this year.
The Football Association (FA) charged Bentancur on September 12 with misconduct in relation to remarks he made during a June interview on Uruguay’s *Canal 10*. In the interview, Bentancur was asked by the host to show the shirt of a Spurs teammate. He replied, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Although Bentancur issued an apology for his comment, the FA deemed it an “aggravated breach” of its rules, necessitating a review by an independent regulatory commission.
Decision and Sanctions
The independent regulatory panel upheld the FA’s charge, resulting in Bentancur receiving a seven-match suspension from domestic competitions and a £100,000 fine. Despite this ban, the midfielder remains eligible to participate in Tottenham’s Europa League matches, including upcoming games against Roma and Rangers.
An FA spokesperson released a statement outlining the ruling:
“An independent regulatory commission has imposed a seven-match suspension and £100,000 fine on Rodrigo Bentancur for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.
“It was alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.
“It was further alleged that this constitutes an ‘aggravated breach,’ as defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference—whether express or implied—to nationality, race, or ethnic origin.
“Rodrigo Bentancur denied this charge, but the independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed his sanctions following a hearing.”
Context and Consequences
The incident has sparked widespread attention and has been met with calls for accountability in professional football. While Bentancur’s remarks may not have been made with malicious intent, the FA has emphasized the importance of setting high standards to combat racism and discrimination within the sport.
This suspension places additional strain on Tottenham as the club navigates a challenging domestic season. The absence of the Uruguayan midfielder for seven league matches could impact the team’s performance, particularly as they aim to maintain momentum in the Premier League.
The case underscores the FA’s commitment to upholding disciplinary measures for behavior that undermines the principles of respect and inclusion in football.