Bentancur Banned for Seven Matches Over Offensive Remark About Son Heung-min

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LONDON: Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-match ban and fined £100,000 ($126,000) by the English Football Association (FA) for making an offensive comment about South Koreans, referencing his Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min.

The FA's statement confirmed that the punishment, decided by an independent commission, also requires Bentancur to attend a mandatory face-to-face education program, which must be completed by March 11 next year. The sanction applies only to domestic matches, allowing the 27-year-old midfielder to participate in Tottenham’s Europa League games, including the upcoming clash with Roma on Nov. 28.

The controversy stemmed from an incident in June when Bentancur appeared on a Uruguayan television show. Asked for a teammate’s jersey, he joked about Son, saying, “Sonny’s? It could be his cousin’s too, because more or less they are all the same.”

Realizing the gravity of his comments, Bentancur apologized to Son via Instagram, acknowledging it as a “very bad joke” and stating he would “never disrespect or hurt” his teammate. Son graciously accepted the apology, calling it a mistake and emphasizing their strong bond. “We’re brothers, and nothing has changed. We’ll fight for our club together as one,” Son said.

The FA charged Bentancur in September, citing an aggravated breach of conduct due to the racial and ethnic undertones of his remark. In addition to the suspension and fine, the FA has warned that failure to complete the education program will result in an indefinite domestic suspension until the program is satisfactorily completed.

Neither Tottenham Hotspur nor Bentancur has yet commented on the FA's decision.