Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for seven matches after the making a racist remark about South Korean people when talking about teammate Son Heung-min during a television appearance, the Football Association said on Monday.
The English Football Association said in a statement that an independent commission also imposed a £100,000 (US$126,000) fine on the Uruguayan player.
The FA said in the statement the midfielder “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 it included a reference – whether express or implied – to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin,” the statement added.
In June, on Uruguayan television programme Por La Camiseta, host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player’s shirt, to which he replied, “Sonny’s?”, before adding: “It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
The FA had first charged 27-year-old Bentancur in September, and Son said later that month there was no bad feeling between the players. Bentancur apologised to Son in June after the short clip from the TV show was widely circulated online. Bentancur said it was a “very bad joke” and he would “never disrespect you or hurt” him.
