Tottenham star Rodrigo Bentancur is facing a multi-game ban over comments he made about Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min. The midfielder has been charged by the FA after making the remarks during an interview in Uruguay over the summer.
Bentancur and Son have been team-mates at Spurs since January 2022 after the Uruguay international joined the club from Juventus following a four-and-half year spell in Italy.
The 27-year-old started Tottenham’s opening clash of this campaign against Leicester but left the pitch on a stretcher after smashing his head into the turf. He missed Spurs' thrashing of Everton five days later but returned to action as a late substitute against Newcastle ahead of the international break.
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In the summer, Bentancur carried out an interview in his homeland and appeared to suggester that people from South Korea “all look the same”.
He later apologised to Son as he wrote on Instagram: “Sonny brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke.”
In June, the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out explained that they had received a “significant number” of complaints about Bentancur’s comments. And the FA have now taken action by charging the player. If their charge is upheld, Bentancur could face a significant ban between six to 12 matches in length.
“Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview,” the organisation wrote in a statement.
“It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has 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’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach” which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin. Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge.”
Son labelled the incident as a “mistake” at the time, with Tottenham releasing a statement that read: “Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter.
“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives. We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead.
“We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our Club, within our game or within wider society.”
